Study on the prevention of infection in terminal cancer patients applying epidural analgesia by adding cefazolin to anesthetics: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Abstract Objective To observe the antibacterial effect of adding cefazolin into anesthetics in patients with terminal cancer undergoing long-term epidural analgesia. Methods Patients undergoing epidural analgesia with terminal cancer were randomly divided into two groups: the conventional drug group (group C) and the cefazolin group (group G). Both groups were given levobupivacaine and morphine, while cefazolin was added to group G. The mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), respiratory rates (R), visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, satisfaction and complications of patients in the two groups were observed. 3 ml of the used analgesic was taken for bacterial culture when replacing the new analgesic case. Results HR, MAP, R, VAS scores, dosages of morphine, satisfaction of the analgesic and the complications were not significantly different between the two groups (P > 0.05). The overall satisfaction of patients in group G was significantly higher than that in group C (P < 0.05). One patient’s anesthetics in group C were infected with colibacillus. Four patients in group C got infected in their epidural puncture sites. There was no infection in group G (P < 0.05). Conclusion Adding cefazolin to local anesthetics could effectively prevent bacterial infection and ensured the safety of epidural analgesia for patients with terminal cancer.