Prophylactic parenteral cephalosporins in surgery. Are the newer agents better?
J. T. DiPiro, T. A. Bowden Jr and V. H. Hooks 3rd
Parenteral prophylactic cephalosporins used in surgery were compared in 17
published studies. Examination of these studies reveals little
justification for preference of one cephalosporin over another. For
gastrointestinal, obstetrical-gynecologic, or cardiac operations, newer
cephalosporins did not result in substantial decreases in adverse
postoperative clinical events (eg, wound infections, intra-abdominal and
pelvic infections, and endocarditis) when compared with older
cephalosporins. There is no evidence that second- or third-generation
cephalosporins result in postoperative infection rates lower than with
first-generation cephalosporins.
