[Pharmacokinetics of netilmicin in patients after abdominal surgery]

The pharmacokinetics of netilmicin (NTL) was examined in normal volunteers and patients after abdominal surgery who received a single administration of 100 mg, intramuscularly (i.m.) or intravenously (d.i.v.) over 30 or 60 minutes. In postoperative patients, the serum half life after i.m. or d.i.v. was increased, and absorption after i.m. was delayed compared to those in normal volunteers. No large differences between normal volunteers and postoperative patients were found in peak serum levels. The clearance of NTL from circulation was so rapid that the serum level decreased to below 1.0 micrograms/ml at 8 hours after administration. Renal functions were monitored after abdominal surgery in 116 patients who received NTL at a dose of 200 mg daily for 3-13 days by i.m. or d.i.v. Slight increases in serum creatinine were observed in only 2 patients after i.m., but not after d.i.v. From these results, intravenous infusion over 30 or 60 minutes of NTL seemed safe and effective for the prevention of postoperative infections after abdominal surgery.