Abstract

Sulbactam is a β-lactamase inhibitor that, when combined with ampicillin, gives the latter antibiotic a broad spectrum of activity, making it suitable for use as a prophylactic agent in acute appendicitis. In a single-blind, randomized trial, the efficacy of sulbactam plus ampicillin was compared with that of metronidazole plus cefotaxime. Thirty-five children undergoing appendectomy received intravenous sulbactam and ampicillin, while 38 children received metronidazole and cefotaxime. Single doses were given unless the appendix was considered gangrenous or perforated, in which case the drugs were administered for 72 hr. There were three wound infections in the group given sulbactam and ampicillin and five in the group given metronidazole and cefotaxime. The combination of sulbactam and ampicillin was well tolerated and appeared to be at least as effective as that of metronidazole and cefotaxime in the prevention of sepsis following appendectomy.

This content is only available as a PDF.
You do not currently have access to this article.

Comments

0 Comments
Submit a comment
You have entered an invalid code
Thank you for submitting a comment on this article. Your comment will be reviewed and published at the journal's discretion. Please check for further notifications by email.