Prophylactic single-dose co-trimoxazole for prevention of urinary tract infection after abdominal hysterectomy.

The efficacy of a preoperative single-dose of co-trimoxazole in reducing postoperative urinary tract infection and febrile morbidity after abdominal hysterectomy was evaluated in a randomized placebo-controlled study of 90 patients undergoing surgery. Among the co-trimoxazole patients, 6.2% developed urinary tract infection compared to 31% in the placebo group (p less than 0.001) and 12.5% febrile morbidity compared to 38% in the placebo patients (p less than 0.025). No adverse side effects of co-trimoxazole were observed and this regimen seems both safe and effective.