[Transfer of cefoperazone into exudate from postoperative wound]

The levels of cefoperazone (CPZ) in the exudate from the postoperative would were measured in 10 cases for which CPZ was employed for prophylaxis of postoperative infections. The mean total volume of the exudate from postoperative wounds in these patients was 96.3 +/- 77.81 ml on Day 1, 14.6 +/- 17.1 ml on Day 2, 17.2 +/- 14.3 ml on Day 3, 32.0 +/- 17.0 ml on Day 4 and 34.0 ml (n = 1) on Day 5 of the postoperative period, and their CPZ level was, respectively 31.3 +/- 16.3, 31.2 +/- 19.4, 15.0 +/- 7.04, 13.4 +/- 6.78, and 2.45 micrograms/ml (n = 1), respectively with the level exceeding 30 micrograms/ml on Day 2 of the postoperative period and gradually decreasing thereafter. Recovery of CPZ during this period was 2941.1 +/- 2775.8 on Day 1, 375.3 +/- 445.9 on Day 2, 261.9 +/- 477.5 on Day 3, 371.4 +/- 10.5 on Day 4 and 83.3 micrograms (n = 1) on Day 5 of the postoperative period. In other words, of the total daily dose, 0.074, 0.009, 0.007, 0.009 and 0.002 appeared in the wound on Day 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the postoperative period, respectively. Judging from the daily changes in the level of CPZ in the exudate and from the clinical results that all cases except one responded to this drug, it is evident that CPZ is highly useful for prophylaxis of postoperative infections, particularly for prophylaxis of infections of the postoperative wounds.