Teicoplanin: Part 2. Evaluation of its use in the biliary system

Teicoplanin is a new antibiotic currently undergoing extensive investigation to evaluate its potential use in the prophylaxis and treatment of appropriate infection. To ascertain its penetration into the biliary system, 24 patients undergoing elective cholecystectomy were randomised to receive an intravenous bolus of 400 mg teicoplanin 1, 3, 6 or 12 h prior to surgery. During the operation, blood, gall bladder bile and tissue and common bile duct bile were removed for teicoplanin estimation. The results show that teicoplanin penetrates well into the gall bladder wall and bile, though less well into common bile duct bile. These results show that teicoplanin would seem to be a suitable antibiotic for the treatment of biliary infections that are known to be sensitive to the antibiotic.