A prospective, randomized, clinical study was performed to determine the efficacy of preoperative single dose systemic antibiotic in preventing wound infection after emergency appendectomy for acute nonperforating appendicitis. 81 patients were operated with a diagnosis of acute appendicitis, 40 of these patients received 1 g of ceftriaxone before undergoing operation. The patients were divided into two groups; group 1 (ceftriaxone, n=40), group 2 (didn't receive antibiotic, n=41). The two groups were similar with regard to age, sex, duration of preoperative symptoms, duration of operation, patologlc condition of appendix. The overall Incidence of wound Infection in the study was 9.8 %. The infections rates were group 1 2.5 % and group 2 17 %. Cost analysis identified a net savings 56290 TL per patients with the use of prophylactic antibiotic. This study showed a significant reduction of the incidence of wound infection in patients receiving single dose ceftriaxone prophylaxis.

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