The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 277 No 7432 p762
23/30 December 2006

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Ertapenem as prophylaxis

Ertapenem, a long-acting carbepenem, is more effective than the cephalosporin cefotetan in preventing surgical site infections in patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery, researchers report.

However, they warn that ertapenem may be associated with more Clostridium difficile infections (New England Journal of Medicine 2006;355:2640).