The effect of cephradine prophylaxis on wound infection after arterial surgery through a groin incision

Abstract

Cephradine administered prophylactically to a group of 35 patients undergoing reversed saphenous vein femoro-popliteal bypass, iliofemoral endarterectomy or profundaplasty through a groin incision, resulted in a significant reduction in the incidence of wound infection (P = 0.025; exact probability test). One gram of cephradine was given at induction of anaesthesia, followed by three postoperative doses of one gram at 6 hourly intervals. The overall wound infection rate at 7 days, as assessed by frank purulent discharge, was 15%. After cephradine prophylaxis, no infections were noted as judged on this basis, but erythema of the suture line was seen in equal numbers (40% of each group). Where the indication for operative intervention was rest pain or gangrene, the incidence of wound infection was very much increased, 80% of the infected cases being from this group.