Techniques in coloproctology
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Oral non-absorbable antibiotics work by decreasing intraluminal bacterial content after mechanical bowel preparation. The advantage of adding oral non-absorbable antibiotics to intravenous antibiotics to decrease surgical site infection (SSI) after colorectal surgery is not well known. We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCT) comparing the effectiveness of combined oral non-absorbable and intravenous antibiotics versus intravenous antibiotics alone in reducing the incidence of SSI following colorectal surgery. ⋯ Our meta-analysis shows that a combination of oral non-absorbable antibiotics and intravenous antibiotics significantly lowers the incidence of SWI compared with intravenous antibiotics alone. In light of our results, the use of oral non-absorbable antibiotics in colorectal surgery should be encouraged.