The role of antibacterial preparation of the intestine in the reduction of primary wound sepsis after operations on the colon and rectum.

A consecutive series of 320 patients undergoing operations on the colon and rectum, under the care of one surgeon, was studied to determine the influence of oral antibacterial preparation of the intestine on the incidence of postoperative wound sepsis. Thirty patients were excluded from the analysis, and the rates of major wound sepsis in the remaining 290 patients were 21.7 per cent when no antibacterial preparation was used; 18.6 per cent when the intestine was prepared with phthalylsulfathiazole and neomycin, and 1.6 per cent when the intestine was prepared with phthalysulfathiazole, neomycin and tetracycline. Other important determinants of the rate of wound sepsis were obesity and the use of cephaloridine prophylaxis. Results of bacteriologic studies showed the effectiveness of triple antimicrobial preparation of intestine against gram-negative aerobes and Bacteriodes species.