Effect of prophylactic high-dose treatment with ampicillin and cloxacillin on bleeding time and bleeding in patients undergoing elective vascular surgery.

50 patients undergoing elective vascular surgery were randomized to prophylactic antibiotic treatment with ampicillin 2 g X 4 + cloxacillin 1 g X 4 for 4 d following the operation, or to a control group without antibiotics. All patients received heparin subcutaneously 5000 IU X 2, for 7 d. On days 1 and 4 after the operation, the median bleeding time was 1 1/2-2 min longer in the antibiotics group. 5 patients on antibiotics had a bleeding time prolongation beyond the normal range, but only 2 of these, who had additional haemostatic defects, had abnormal bleeding.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes