Short-term systemic prophylaxis with cefoxitin and doxycycline in colorectal surgery: A prospective,randomized study

The efficacy of cefoxitin or doxycycline as antibiotic prophylaxis in colorectal surgery was compared in 102 elective operations. Both drugs were used perioperatively only. Cefoxitin was used in 55 cases and doxycycline in 47. Ten patients in the cefoxitin group and 4 in the doxycycline group had wound infections. Three intraabdominal abscesses were seen, one after cefoxitin and two after doxycycline prophylaxis. All three were due to anastomotic leakage. Bacteriologic studies revealed no negative ecologic effects of prophylaxis. The short-term prophylaxis used did protect against serious infectious complications. The extended spectrum of cefoxitin provided no added benefit in prophylaxis. Patients with inflammatory bowel disease treated preoperatively with salicylazosulfapyridine run a greater risk of postoperative infection in spite of the prophylaxis.