Comparing the effects of post-operative prescription or non-prescription of ceftriaxone and metronidazole on infection reduction of patients operated with simple appendicitis: A clinical trial

This clinical trial compares the effects of postoperative prescription or non-prescription of antibiotics on reduction of infection in patients operated for simple appendicitis in the surgery ward of Imam Reza Hospital of Birjand. The study is a single-blind randomized controlled trial with case and control groups where the participants will be unaware to which group they belong. The participants will include a total of 150 patients operated for acute appendicitis who lack chronic underlying disease and have a body mass index below 25. They will be allocated into case and control groups through simple randomization method so that everybody would have a similar chance of belonging to either the intervention or control groups. Both groups will receive antibiotics preoperatively, including ceftriaxone and metronidazole. Ceftriaxone will be prescribed in1 gram for adults and 50 mg per kg on a daily basis for children. Metronidazole will be prescribed 500 mg for adults and 35 mg per kg on a daily basis for children. Postoperatively, the cases will continue to take the antibiotics for 24 hours, while the controls will not receive any antibiotics. All patients will be followed during hospitalization and up to 14 days after surgery. They will be visited once a week after discharge (first and second weeks after surgery) by the surgeon in a clinic. The two groups will be examined with regard to infectious complications including wound infection, abdominal abscess, pelvic abscess, fever, and wound repair.

Vice-Chancellery for Research at Birjand University of Medical Sciences