[Pharmacokinetics of cefmetazole during and after surgical operations]

Cefmetazole (CMZ), with its relatively broad antibacterial spectrum, good stability to beta-lactamases and a high degree of safety, has established a place in the antibacterial therapy. In this study the pharmacokinetics of CMZ during and after surgical operations were investigated. CMZ in a dose of 2 g was administered intravenously to 15 cases operated upon for ailments of abdominal organs (10 cases of cholecystolithiasis and 5 cases of early or resectable gastric cancer). The serum samples were taken during and on the 2nd or the 3rd day after operation. Concentrations of CMZ in serum were measured by bioassay with Micrococcus luteus ATCC 9341 and by a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. CMZ concentrations during the operation was at higher level than on the 2nd or the 3rd day after the operation. In cholecystolithiasis, the half-life time (T 1/2) was 2.11 hours during operation and 1.42 hours after the operation. In cases of gastric cancer, T 1/2 was 1.31 hours during operation and 2.21 hours after the operation. In cholecystolithiasis, area under the curves (AUCs) were 469.39 micrograms.hr/ml during operation and 294.44 micrograms.hr/ml after the operation. In cancer cases, AUC's were 339.83 micrograms.hr/ml during and 329.75 micrograms.hr/ml after operation. Any postoperative infections and adverse reactions were not observed in these cases. Therefore, CMZ would be very effective and available for its prophylactic role.