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Mechanical Bowel Preparation With or Without Oral Antibiotics in Left Sided Colorectal Cancer Surgery

Mechanical Bowel Preparation With or Without Oral Antibiotics in Left Sided Colorectal Cancer Surgery: A Randomized Trial (MEBOA Trial)

Status
Enrolling by invitation
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07429760
Enrollment
60
Registered
2026-02-24
Start date
2025-08-01
Completion date
2026-08-30
Last updated
2026-02-24

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Colorectal Cancer

Keywords

Colorectal Cancer, Oral Antibiotics, Mechanical bowel preparation

Brief summary

In this study, Investigator will compare mechanical bowel preparation with or without oral antibiotics in Left sided colorectal cancer patients undergoing elective surgery.

Detailed description

Surgical site infection (SSI) after colorectal surgery is a common postoperative complication, with rates of 15% to 20%, and significantly affects patient morbidity and mortality. Given the high frequency of SSIs following colorectal procedures and the limited effectiveness of other preventive strategies, the combination of oral antibiotics with mechanical bowel preparation (MBP)-a technique initially evaluated in the 1970s but later discontinued-has regained attention as a potentially effective preventive approach. Recent studies have evaluated the combination of oral antibiotics and mechanical bowel preparation (MBP) with perioperative intravenous antibiotics, showing a significant reduction in the rate of surgical site infections (SSIs). The Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Society indicates that randomized controlled trials provide some evidence supporting the use of both mechanical bowel preparation and oral antibiotics together, rather than using mechanical bowel preparation alone. American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS) Clinical Practice Guidelines also advise the combined use of mechanical bowel preparation and oral antibiotics for patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery. Mechanical bowel preparation before right sided colonic surgery offers no clinical benefit and may lead to preoperative dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and patient discomfort. However, MBP is beneficial in left sided colorectal rectal surgery. Despite growing evidence supporting the use of oral antibiotics combined with mechanical bowel preparation (MBP), significant variability in clinical practice persists. In current practice, oral antibiotics are not routinely prescribed for colorectal cancer patients, so this will be interesting to evaluate the effect of oral antibiotics in this population.

Interventions

Orally administered preparation of polyethylene glycol 2 days before surgery+ three doses of rifaximin 400mg at 7am, 3pm and 11pm the day before surgery and a single dose of metronidazole 500mg 11pm the day before surgery.

Sponsors

Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital & Research Centre
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE

Masking description

This study is double blinded.

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 60 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Adult patients * Diagnosed cases of left sided (distal to splenic flexure) colorectal cancer undergoing elective curative sphincter preserving surgery. * No contraindication for preoperative administration of oral antibiotics and mechanical bowel preparation.

Exclusion criteria

Emergency surgery * Palliative surgery * Unwilling to participate in a trial

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Surgical Site Infection (SSI)30 daysAny SSI and the type of SSI (superficial, deep incisional, and organ space) within 30 days of the index procedure based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Nosocomial Infection Society criteria

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
anastomotic leak30 daysAnastomotic leak: defined as postoperative fluid collection adjacent to the anastomotic site seen on imaging scans and may require a percutaneous drainage procedure and/or an operative intervention.

Countries

Pakistan

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 25, 2026