Wound infection following appendicectomy: The effect of extraperitoneal wound drainage and systemic antibiotic prophylaxis

Abstract

Abstract The value of extraperitoneal wound drainage and a 3-day course of prophylactic systemic cephaloridine used both separately and together have been assessed in a prospective controlled randomized trial involving 246 patients undergoing appendicectomy at the Leicester Royal Infirmary. Extraperitoneal wound drainage was shown to reduce significantly the incidence of post-operative wound infection in patients with a gangrenous or perforated appendix (P<0·025). Prophylactic cephaloridine significantly reduced the overall incidence of wound infection (P<0·02) and was also effective when the appendix was gangrenous or perforated (P<0·01). A highly significant reduction in wound infection was achieved when the appendix was gangrenous or perforated by the addition of wound drainage to the antibiotic regimen (P<0·001).