Cefotetan in the treatment of serious intra-abdominal sepsis: a controlled clinical trial.

: Cefotetan has been compared with two regimens of combination antibiotic therapy in the treatment of peritonitis and serious intra-abdominal sepsis. One hundred predominantly elderly patients (median age 66 years) were entered into a prospective randomized surgical trial. Sixty-two per cent had peritonitis. There were seven non-septic deaths. Side-effects were similar in each group and generally of a minor, self limiting nature. Haematological and biochemical factors were closely monitored, and though there were increases in the prothrombin time, there was no statistical difference between cefotetan and comparators. Cefotetan is as effective as combination therapy in the treatment of surgical patients with serious intra-abdominal sepsis.