| Abstract: | Cefoperazone and metronidazole were used for the prevention of postoperative infectious complications in 33 patients (Group 1) with cervical cancer who had undergone the Wertheim operation. 29 patients (Group 2) were treated prophylactically with carbenicillin in the routine doses. Postoperative urinary infections developed in 12.1 and 37.9 per cent of the patients in Groups 1 and 2, respectively. Since the incidence of infectious complications in the patients of Group 1 was lower, the radiation therapy was initiated on an average on day 12.4 +/- 0.4, which was much earlier than in Group 2 (day 15.4 +/- 0.8, p < 0.001). Bacteriological examination of the operation materials from the patients of Group 1 revealed the presence of anaerobes in 64.3 per cent of the patients. The incidence of fever (over 37.8 degrees C) developed irrespective of other signs of an infection significantly correlated with the detection rate of anaerobes in the operation materials (p < 0.05). |
