Antimicrobial vs placebo prophylaxis in noncardiac thoracic surgery
R. Truesdale, R. D'Alessandri, V. Manuel, G. Daicoff and R. M. Kluge
A prospective, double-blind evaluation of the efficacy and safety of
prophylactic cephalosporins was done in 57 patients undergoing noncardiac
thoracic surgery. Twenty-eight received cephalosporin therapy, and 29
received placebo. Overall, the incidence of postoperative infections was
the same; infections developed in five (17.8%) of the 28 patients in the
cephalosporin group and in five (17.2%) of the 29 patients in the placebo
group. Of the five deaths attributable to infection, three occurred in
patients receiving placebo and two in patients receiving cephalosporin
therapy. No differences were noted in WBC counts, fever, duration of
hospitalization, hypersensitivity reactions, or abnormal liver functions.
However, drug fever, phlebitis, and abnormal renal function occurred more
often in the patients receiving cephalosporin therapy.
