Prophylactic effect of
cefotaxime (CTX) against postoperative
infection at a dose level of 2 g intravenous per day for 5 days was investigated using
fever index in patients who underwent abdominal
cesarean section, abdominal simple panhysterectomy or radical
hysterectomy. The results obtained are summarized as follows. Total
fever index values were 3.53 +/- 2.07 degree hours in a group receiving CTX for prophylactic purpose in abdominal
cesarean section (n = 15), 22.25 +/- 0.19 degree hours in a group that had
infections before
cesarean section and was treated with CTX (n = 2), 3.79 +/- 3.87 degree hours in a group administered with CTX for prophylactic purpose in abdominal simple panhysterectomy (n = 13), at a low level of 3.10 +/- 3.60 degree hours in a group administered with CTX and
astromicin (400 mg i.m. per day for 5 days) for prophylaxis in abdominal simple panhysterectomy (n = 13), and 6.72 +/- 3.14 degree hours in a group receiving CTX for prophylaxis in radical
hysterectomy (n = 7). When daily
fever index values were expressed as cumulative proportions (%) of total
fever index, specific patterns were observed for different types of
surgical procedures. As the results obtained in our current study as well as our previous study indicate, different
antibiotics also influenced these patterns differently. No abnormal laboratory findings nor side effects attributable to CTX were observed.