One day of antibiotics may be enough after bone surgery
NCT ID NCT07554079
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study looked at whether a one-day course of antibiotics is as good as a three-day course at preventing infections after femur or tibia fracture surgery with a metal rod (intramedullary nailing). Fifty-six adults were randomly assigned to receive either three or nine doses of cefuroxime after surgery. The goal was to see if shorter antibiotic use could safely reduce the risk of infection and antibiotic resistance.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- cefuroxime
- What this could lead to
- If a shorter antibiotic course works as well as a longer one, it could reduce antibiotic resistance and side effects for patients undergoing bone-nailing surgery.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, single-center trial with only 56 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The study is also completed, so no new data is being collected.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
56 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Feb 2024
- Finished
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Nov 2025
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Adult patients (≥18 years) * Diaphyseal fractures of the femur (AO 32) or tibia (AO 42), including closed injuries and Gustilo-Anderson type I open fractures, who were scheduled for intramedullary interlocking nailing Exclusion Criteria: * Polytrauma * Open fractures classified as Gustilo-Anderson type II or III * Procedures other than intramedullary nailing * Pregnancy * Comorbidities known to affect infection risk, such as diabetes mellitus, immunocompromised states, chronic steroid use, active skin or chest infections, or other conditions requiring alternative antibiotic regimens
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Dhulikhel Hospital, Kathmandu University Hospital
Dhulikhel, Bagmati, Nepal
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