Multicentre Study of ‘Flagyl’ in the Prevention of Post-Operative Anaerobic Infection

Abstract

In a study carried out with 565 patients undergoing gynaecological and general surgical procedures, metronidazole ('Flagyl') was used pre- and postoperatively and the incidence of post-operative infection, particularly that due to anaerobic organisms, was recorded. This was not a controlled study but, by comparison with other series, it would appear that the use of oral metronidazole had substantially reduced the likelihood of supervention of anaerobic sepsis. It is probable that the use of intravenous metronidazole therapy would have reduced the incidence of anaerobic sepsis still further had this preparation been available at the time.