Antimicrobial Prophylaxis for Major head and neck cancer surgery with piperacillin and ornidazole
AbstractA prospective study in 53 eligible patients, undergoing major head and neck cancer surgery was carried out to assess the combination of an ureido penicillin, piperacillin with a nitro imidazole agent, ornidazole, in order to prevent post-operative general and wound infections. Both antibiotics were administered for five days. Each patient had piperacillin 4 gm every eight hours and ornidazole 1 gm every 24 hours.The overall rate of infections was 13.2 per cent (n = 7), with 3.8 per cent (n = 2) wound infections and 11.3 per cent (n = 6) general infections (one patient presented both complications).There was no wound infection in the total surgery group (n = 12). General infections who only consisted of pneumonias were respectively 12.2 per cent (n - 5) in the group with partial procedures (n = 41) and 8.3 per cent (n = 1) in the total surgery group.This antibioprophylaxis can be recommended in major oncological neck surgery, specially in the case of partial procedures.