Results Prophylactic antibiotics  prevent inflammatory complications after gynaecological surgery .
Prophylactic antibiotics are more effective in surgery requiring access to the peritoneal cavity or the vagina .
Cefotetan appears to be more capable in preventing the overall inflammatory complication rate than cefoxitin or cefazolin .
No benefit has been shown for the combination of antibiotics as prophylaxis .
No difference has been shown between the long-term and short-term use of antibiotics .
There is no need for the primary use of an anaerobic antibacterial agent .
Conclusion Antibiotics help to prevent postoperative inflammatory complications after major gynecologic surgeries
Purpose The aim of this study was to systematic ally review the literature on antibiotic prophylaxis in gynaecologic surgeries to prevent inflammatory complications after gynaecological operations .
Comparison of the Antimicrobial Prophylactic Efficacy of Cefotaxime and Cephazolin in Obstetric and Gynaecological Surgery
Summary A prospect i ve r and omised multicentre study was design ed to assess the efficacy of 2 different cephalosporins as short term prophylactic treatment in obstetric and gynaecological surgery . A single dose of cefotaxime ( 2 g IV before surgery ) was compared with 2 doses of cephazolin ( 2 g IV before surgery and after 8 hours ) . Patients exposed to antibacterial drugs within 7 days , who had preoperative infections , or with known β-lactam hypersensitivity were excluded . 612 patients entered the study , of whom 552 were evaluable . 276 were given cephazolin ( group A ) and 276 cefotaxime ( group B ) . Groups A and B were similar for mean age , obesity , diabetes , types of diseases and obstetric history . No significant differences were observed in type of surgery ( vaginal hysterectomy , abdominal hysterectomy , myomectomy and caesarean section ) between the 2 groups . The mean duration of surgery was 89 and 85 minutes in group A and B , respectively . 25 patients ( 9.1 % ) in group A and 20 ( 7.2 % ) in group B developed wound infections ( not statistically significantly different ) . The percentages of patients with infections other than surgical infections were similar ( i.e. 13.0 and 11.2 for the cefotaxime and the cephazolin groups , respectively ) . These preliminary data show that a single 2 g IV dose of cefotaxime and two 2 g IV doses of cephazolin have equal antimicrobial prophylactic activity in obstetric and gynaecological surgery
Results Prophylactic antibiotics  prevent inflammatory complications after gynaecological surgery .
Prophylactic antibiotics are more effective in surgery requiring access to the peritoneal cavity or the vagina .
Cefotetan appears to be more capable in preventing the overall inflammatory complication rate than cefoxitin or cefazolin .
No benefit has been shown for the combination of antibiotics as prophylaxis .
No difference has been shown between the long-term and short-term use of antibiotics .
There is no need for the primary use of an anaerobic antibacterial agent .
Conclusion Antibiotics help to prevent postoperative inflammatory complications after major gynecologic surgeries
Purpose The aim of this study was to systematic ally review the literature on antibiotic prophylaxis in gynaecologic surgeries to prevent inflammatory complications after gynaecological operations .