Antibiotics covering aerobic and aerobic bacteria should be delivered orally and intravenously prior to colorectal surgery.  Antibiotics delivered within this framework will reduce the risk of postoperative SWI by at least 75%.  Further research is required to establish the optimal timing and duration of dosing, and frequency of longer-term adverse effects such as Clostridium difficile pseudomembranous colitis.
[Infection prevention in elective large intestine surgery. Results of a prospective randomized comparative study].
In a prospective randomized trial clinical results of orthograde bowel lavage alone (group I) versus combined bowel lavage and parenteral antibiotic prophylaxis with 4 gm Cefoxitin (group II) in two separate dosages (perioperative short-term-prophylaxis) are compared with regard to the reduction of septic complications after colorectal surgery. Septic wound complications were 11/27 = 41% in group I and 2/30 = 7% in group II. The rate of anastomotic leakages was significantly different in the two groups (5/27 in group I, 0 in group II). The monetary costs for given antibiotics and the duration of hospitalization were less in group II. Orthograde bowel lavage alone proved to be of no effect in reducing the rate of septic complications when used without antibiotic perioperative short-term-prophylaxis and therefore cannot be recommended to be used solely.