PROPHYLACTIC ANTIBIOTICS IN TRANS-URETHRAL PROSTATECTOMY

The study included 88 patients with sterile urine prior to transurethral prostatectomy. A total of 45 received a preoperative dose of 2 g of cefotaxime (Claforan) and the remaining 43 were given 10 ml of 0.9% NaCl. The 2 groups did not differ in frequency of postoperative urinary infection (> 105 colonies/ml urine); 6 patients (13.3%) in the cefotaxime group had postoperative infections during hospital stay as compared to 8 patients (18.6%) in the control group (0.5 > P > 0.3). Those in the cefotaxime group who had infections were tested for resistance. They were all fully sensitive to cefotaxime except 1, who was infected with enterococci. There was no growth of bacteria from either venous blood or bladder irrigating fluid taken during the operations, and no serious complications were observed in any of the patients. In view of the relatively low risk of infection and the few side effects of the infections that did occur, prophylactic treatment with an antibiotic is not indicated for transurethral prostatectomy in patients with sterile urine.