Objective To evaluate the efficacy of perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis for tension-free repair of inguinal hernia. Methods A randomized, prospective double-blind control trial was performed to evaluate the efficacy of perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis for tension-free mesh repair in 180 cases of inguinal hernia from March 2007 to March 2008. Intravenous cefuroxime ( 1.5 g ) was given immediately before the surgery in two groups followed by postoperative administration of cefuroxime 1.5 g twice a day for 3 days in test group compared with NS infusion in the control group. Postoperatively 16 patients (8. 89 per cent) could not be contacted at any point, giving a response rate of91. 11%. The total number of subjects for per- protocol (PP) analysis was 180, 84 cases in test group and 80 cases in control group. Results Complete data were available for 164 patients, 3 ( 1.83 per cent) developed surgical site infection (SSI) including 2 cases of surgical site infection in test group and 1 case of superficial incision surgical site infection in control group. The differences were not statistically significant. The time to follow up was 12 -29 months, the mean follow up time in test group was (15.6 ±2.2) months and (18 ±3)months in control group respectively. 93.33% patients in test group were followed up and 88. 89% patients in control group. There were not hernia recurrence and side effect of antibiotics reported in the two groups.Conclusions To prevent SSI, it is necessary to use preoperative antibiotics prophylaxis just one time for inguinal hernia repair.