Controlled Trial of Prophylactic Penicillin in Thoracic Surgery

Open Access

31 December 1964

journal article
research article
Published by BMJ in Thorax

Vol. 20 (1) , 18-20
https://doi.org/10.1136/thx.20.1.18

Abstract

Patients undergoing thoracic surgery were allocated at random to a penicillin group who received 2 million units of crystalline penicillin twice daily started on the day before operation and continued to the 14th postoperative day, or a control group who had no prophylactic antibiotic. Post-operative mortality due to infection was 12 times less in the penicillin group than in the control group. Large doses of penicillin given prophylactically may diminish post-operative mortality due to infection even when the infections are due to so-called "penicillin-resistant" staphylococci.

Keywords

BRONCHIAL NEOPLASMS
DRUG THERAPY
PENICILLIN
PNEUMONECTOMY
POSTOPERATIVE CARE
POSTOPERATIVE COMPLICATIONS
PREOPERATIVE CARE
PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
SURGERY, OPERATIVE
THORAX
TUBERCULOSIS, PULMONARY

This publication has 4 references indexed in Scilit:

PROPHYLACTIC PENICILLIN AND POSTOPERATIVE CHEST INFECTIONS
The Lancet, 1962
Bronchial fistula and pleural empyema following pulmonary resection: non-specific infection as an etiologic factor.
1960
Infections, especially with penicillin-resistant staphylococci, following thoracic surgery treated with large doses of penicillin.
1954
Postoperative infection in surgery of the lung: prophylaxis with high level systemic penicillin therapy.
1954