[Infected wounds]

Abstract

Continuous prophylactic therapy with antibiotics has been used for a long time to try to prevent the step from bacterial contamination to clinical infection of surgical wounds. Earlier results of clinical trials were poor and side-effects common. For those used in recent years, however, the side-effects of pre- or perioperative prophylactic antibiotics have been minimal, although the therapeutical benefits have not yet been proven. This has also been the case with prophylactic infusion of gamma-globulin for prevention of postoperative wound infections.