Clinical evaluation of piperacillin in the treatment of severe infections in obstetrics and gynecology

A mixed aerobic-anaerobic bacterial flora is frequently involved in the genesis of severe obstetric and gynecologic infections, thus demanding the administration of combinations of antibiotics for treatment. We evaluated in an open clinical study the efficacy of piperacillin, a new broad-spectrum penicillin, as a single drug in the treatment of severe infections of the female genital tract: 22 patients received the drug at the dose of 10 grams intravenously daily. Eighteen subjects had previously been submitted to surgery, and other relevant predisposing conditions consisted in malignancy, recent course of cancer chemotherapy and leucopenia. Twenty patients responded favourably to the treatment; the drug was always well tolerated and no side effect was observed. Piperacillin alone was shown to be a highly effective therapy for obstetric and gynecologic infections, even in seriously compromised patients.