Table 3.
Nature of the bowel preparation used in studies included in the meta-analysis
| Ref. | Details of MBP | Details of no MBP | Antibiotics given |
| Allaix et al[74] | PEG | Enema before left sided operations | As per local policy |
| Kiran et al[29] | As per local policy | Unclear | As per local policy |
| Yamada et al[66] | PEG | Glycerin Enema | Flomoxef at induction and 3 hourly intra op |
| Otchy et al[67] | PEG | Colonic resections- no MBP | Ertapenem 1 g or levofloxacin/metronidazole 500 mg 1 h post op then continued for 24 h post op |
| Rectal resections- single enema | |||
| Kim et al[75] | As per local policy | Unclear | As per local policy |
| Tahirkheli et al[62] | Saline | No preparation | Oral ciprofloxacin plus unspecified intravenous antibiotics for 24 h post op |
| Sasaki et al[61] | PEG and sodium picosulphate | No preparation | Antibiotic regime not specified |
| Bertani et al[45] | PEG and a single enema | Single enema only | Cefotixin given at induction, 4, 12 and 24 h. Ceftriaxone and metronidazole given for 5 d post op if heavy contamination |
| Roig et al[68] | Mono and di sodium phosphate | No prep | Antibiotic regime not specified |
| Bretagnol et al[46] | Senna plus povidone-iodine enema | No prep | ceftriaxone and metronidazole at induction and every 2 hours intra op |
| Pitot et al[69] | PEG | Rectal resections had single enema | Antibiotic regime not specified |
| Alcantara Moral et al[47] | Sodium phosphate or PEG | Two preoperative enemas | Neomycin and metronidazole 1 d pre op, ceftriaxone and metronidazole at induction |
| Miron et al[70] | PEG and sodium sulphate | No preparation | Antibiotic regime not specified |
| Pena-Soria et al[48] | PEG and standard enema | No preparation | Gentamicin and metronidazole 30 min pre op and 8 hourly post op |
| Leiro et al[59] | Sodium di or monobasic phosphate or PEG | No preparation | Ciprofloxacin and metronidazole 500 mg pre op |
| Contant et al[40] | PEG and bisocodyl/ sodium phosphate | No preparation | Antibiotic regime not specified |
| Bretagnol et al[71] | Senna plus povidone-iodine enema | No preparation | Ceftriaxone and metronidazole at induction and every 2 h intra op |
| Jung et al[49] | As per local policy | No preparation | Trimethoprim + metronidazole or cef and met or dozy and met |
| Veenhof et al[72] | PEG | Single enema | Antibiotic regime not specified |
| Ali et al[63] | Saline | No preparation | Antibiotic regime not specified |
| Jung et al[50] | PEG or sodium phosphate | No preparation | Oral sulphamethoxazole-trimethoprim and metronidazole, cephalsporin and metronidazole, doxycycline and metronidazole |
| Platell et al[51] | PEG | Phosphate enema | Timentin or gentamycin and metronidazole at induction |
| Fa-Si-Oen et al[52] | PEG | No preparation | Ceftriaxone and metronidazole or gentamycin and metronidazole at induction |
| Bucher et al[53] | PEG | Rectal resections had single saline enema | Ceftriaxone and metronidazole at induction and 24 h post op |
| Ram et al[54] | Monobasic and dibasic sodium phosphate | No preparation | Ceftriaxone and metronidazole 1 h pre op and 48 post op |
| Zmora et al[37] | PEG | Rectal resections had a single phosphate enema | Erythromycin and neomycin for 3 doses and then for 24 h |
| Young Tabusso et al[55] | PEG or saline/mannitol | No preparation | Antibiotic regime not specified |
| Miettinen et al[56] | PEG | No preparation | Ceftriaxone and metronidazole at induction |
| Memon et al[73] | Phosphate enema, picolax, PEG, saline lavage | No preparation | Antibiotic regime not specified |
| Fillmann et al[60] | Mannitol | No preparation | Metronidazole and gentamicin 1 h pre op then for 48 h |
| Burke et al[57] | sodium picosulphate | No preparation | Ceftriaxone 1 g, metronidazole at induction and 8 and 16 h |
| Brownson et al[58] | PEG | No preparation | Antibiotic regime not specified |
MBP: Mechanical bowel preparation; PEG: Polyethylene glycol.