Annals of surgery
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Antibiotic prophylaxis in pulmonary surgery: a double-blind study of penicillin versus placebo.
A prospective, randomized double-blind study comparing high-dose short-term penicillin-G prophylaxis with placebo was conducted on patients referred for elective pulmonary surgery. The major advantages of penicillin prophylaxis over placebo were observed for wound infections (2/45 vs 9/47, respectively, p = 0.03), postoperative antibiotic use (13/45 vs 23/47, respectively, p = 0.049), and postoperative hospital stay (median 10 days vs 13 days, respectively, p = 0.02). The prophylactic penicillin regimen had no effect on the incidence of empyema or lower respiratory tract infections. ⋯ Colonization with Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was pronounced in the penicillin group. Few side-effects of penicillin treatment were recorded. Short-term penicillin prophylaxis is recommended, but the ideal prophylactic regimen in pulmonary surgery has not yet been found.