Ristocetin and Ristocetin-Neomycin for Preoperative Preparation of the Colon

Interest in antibacterial agents for preoperative preparation of the bowel has stimulated us to evaluate new agents by standardized techniques which permit comparisons of different agents.1,2,7Ristocetin, isolated from the actinomycete Nocardia lurida recovered from a Colorado soil sample, has been reported to be particularly effective against staphylococcal infections and not to induce bacterial resistance as easily as some other antibiotics.9-12The rising incidence of staphylococcal problems made this substance an interesting drug to evaluate for preoperative intestinal antisepsis. Methods Patients in good general condition were chosen at random from the surgical service,* provided they had no known colonic lesions. During the period of study they received only those antibacterial agents administered for intestinal antisepsis. The patients were not subjected to surgery during the period of investigation. After a control stool was obtained, the patients were placed on a program similar to that for patients being prepared for