Efficacy and safety of parenteral amoxycillin/clavulanate for prevention of surgical site infection following abdominal surgery

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of parenteral amoxycillin/ clavulanate for the prevention of surgical site infection (SSI) following intra-abdominal surgery. Material and Method: This prospective opened non-comparative clinical trial was conducted in the Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand between 1 April 2004 and 30 September 2004. Prophylactic amoxycillin/clavulanate (Cavumox®) at a dose of 1.2 gram was given intravenously to all patients who underwent emergency or elective intra-abdominal procedures. All patients were scheduled to follow-up visits at 7, 14 and 30 days post operatively for monitoring the occurrence of SSI. Results: Thirty emergency appendectomies (85.7%) and other 5 elective surgical procedures (14.3%) were performed in 35 patients including 14 males and 21 females with a mean age of 37 (range, 18-72) years. No SSI or drug allergy was observed. Conclusion: Parenteral amoxycillin/clavulanate is a safe and effective antibiotic as the monotherapy for prevention of SSI following intra-abdominal surgery.