[Use of antibiotics in prevention and therapy in obstetrics and gynaecologic surgery]. / Impiego in profilassi e terapia di farmaci ad azione antibiotica in chirurgia ostetrica e ginecologica.

BACKGROUND: The antibiotic treatments employed in 1999 in cases of gynaecologic and obstetric surgery in the first clinic of the Gynaecology and Obstetrics Department of the University of Turin have been evaluated. METHODS: 1131 gynaecological operations (major interventions, minor interventions, laparoscopies) and 492 laparotomic operations in obstetrics (mostly Cesareans) were assessed. Modalities of administration of chemoantibiotics (CAB) both at the prophylaxis stage and during the therapy stage were evaluated. RESULTS: A great application of chemoantibiotic prophylaxis (CABP) was noted as regards the gynaecological interventions (57.4% of cases) and low resort to chemoantibiotic therapy (CABT) (9%), thus highlighting the effectiveness of prophylaxis in reducing the incidence of infectious complications in the postoperative course in gynaecological surgery. As for obstetrics, the low percentage resort to CABP (36%) and the high resort to CABT (26%) were noted. It is proposed to obviate this fact by increasing the number of cases of CABP for obstetrics so as to reduce the massive recourse to CABT. CONCLUSIONS: Finally, some pharmacoeconomic remarks are offered regarding the rationalisation of the use of CABs in hospital surgical obstetrics and gynaecology.