Short-course antibiotic prophylaxis in penetrating abdominal injuries: ceftriaxone versus cefoxitin.

This was a prospective, randomized study of 123 patients with penetrating abdominal injuries. The patients received ceftriaxone or cefoxitin for 24 h (in the presence of colonic injury, 48 h). The overall incidence of abdominal sepsis was 7.

Factors influencing the morbidity of colostomy closure.

A series consisting of 110 patients who had colostomy closure was studied in an attempt to define the role of various factors in causing colon-related morbidity. The overall complication rate was 14.5 percent (wound sepsis 11.

Subclavian vascular injuries.

This study comprises 228 patients with penetrating injuries of the subclavian vessels. The vein alone was involved in 44 per cent, the artery alone in 39 per cent, and both vessels in 17 per cent. The majority of the victims (61 per cent) did not reach the hospital alive, and in those who were operated on the mortality was 15.