COMPARISON BETWEEN SINGLE AND MULTIPLE DAYS TREATMENT WITH PARENTERAL CEFUROXIME IN INGUINAL HERNIA MESH REPAIR SURGERY

Background: Objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of cefuroxime prophylaxis in controlling the postoperative wound infection in clean inguinal hernia mesh repair surgery and to compare single day and multiple (two) days antibiotic prophylaxis by means of hospital stay and cost effectiveness. Materials and Methods: Two hundred forty patients of inguinal hernia were studied. Patients were divided into two groups A and B comprising of 113 and 127 patients respectively. Group A was treated with three IV doses of cefuroxime 750 mg t.i.d starting from 30 min before surgery and then oral therapy of 250 mg cefuroxime b.i.d for 5 days was given. Group B received total six IV doses of cefuroxime 750 t.i.d and then shifted to oral therapy for four days. Resultant observations were analyzed by Chie square test. Results: In Group A, 6 (5.3%) and in group B 10 (7.87%) patients developed surgical site infections. Mean hospital stay of group A and group B was 2.14 and 2.21 days respectively. Overall cost effectiveness of group A is almost two times less than Group B. Conclusions: From our study, it is concluded that the risk of post-operative wound infection in inguinal hernia mesh repair surgery can be effectively managed by one day t.i.d treatment of cefuroxime which has the benefit of patient compliance and less hospital stay of patient as well as is cost effective thus decreasing the work load on medical and paramedical staff as well as the hospital.