Ram 2005.

Study characteristics
Methods	Study design: Parallel‐group randomised trials Duration of trial: April 1999 to March 2002 Duration of follow‐up: Quote: "Complications were registered daily after surgery, and patients were re‐examined at the outpatient clinic 1, 3, and 6 weeks following surgery" Country of origin: Israel
Participants	Baseline characteristics Number randomised: 329 participants Number analysed: 329 participants Intervention: MBP+oAB Number of participants [n]: 164 Age [years; mean (SD)]: 68.17 (11.5) Gender [male/female; n]: 99/65 Control: oAB Number of participants [n]: 165 Age [years, mean (SD)]: 68.11 (9.5) Gender [male/female; n]: 102/63 Inclusion criteria  Quote: "Elective colorectal procedures for nonobstructive large bowel pathologic features" Exclusion criteria Quote: "Patients in both groups were excluded if they had taken antibiotics for the last 10 days before surgery or if there was evidence of infection. Patients undergoing emergency operations were not included. Patients randomised to group 2 were excluded if they had bowel preparation for colonoscopy within 6 days prior to surgery. Patients undergoing proctectomy with low rectal anastomosis or surgery for polypoid lesion were also excluded." Baseline imbalances none
Interventions	Comparison Intervention: MBP+oAB Control: oAB MBP Agent(s): soffodex (monobasic sodium phosphate and dibasic sodium phosphate) Dose per administration: 2.4/0.9 g Time(s) of intake: On the day before surgery Route: oral Concomitant medications: ‐ oAB Agent(s): ‐ Dose per administration: ‐ Time(s) of intake: ‐ Route: oral Concomitant medications: ‐ Perioperative intravenous antibiotic prophylaxis Agent(s): ceftriaxone and metronidazole Dose per administration: 1 g and 500 mg Time(s) of intake: 1 hour before induction. The same antibiotic prophylaxis was continued for 48 hours following the operation Adherence to regimen: ‐
Outcomes	Outcomes sought in review and reported in trial SSI Anastomotic leakage Mortality Incidence of postoperative ileus Outcomes sought but not reported in trial Postoperative complications (mild D/C I + II or severe D/C III+IV) Length of hospital stay Side effects of Intervention(s) Outcomes reported in trial but not used in review Anastomotic bleeding Abdominal/pelvic collection Urinary tract infection Pulmonary complications Thrombophlebitis Relaparotomy
Notes	Source of funding: ‐ Conflicts of interest: ‐ Ethics approval:  Quote:"The study was approved by the hospital ethics committee." Informed consent: All patients gave informed consent Clinical trials registration: ‐ Sample size calculation: ‐