Prophylactic use of cefotaxime in elective biliary surgery

Abstract

This paper describes a randomized trial of 66 patients undergoing elective biliary surgery, half of whom received 1 g of intravenous injection of cefotaxime at the time of induction of anaesthesia and half who had no treatment. A 12.5% wound infection rate in the untreated patients was observed compared to a complete absence of infection in the treated patients.