[Effect and tolerance of daily 2 X 1 g imipenem/cilastatin in general surgery]

The clinical efficacy, tolerability and safety of imipenem/cilastatin were studied in a open, prospective trial with 63 general surgical patients suffering from bacterial infections. According to study criteria, 48 of the patients were evaluable. Clinical cure was achieved in 47 of these 48 patients (97.9%). The causative organisms were eliminated in 39 of the 47 patients cured. Clinical side-reactions were observed in 4.2% of the 63 patients treated. In 8.3% of these laboratory parameters were changed. 77 of the 78 microorganisms isolated before therapy were sensitive to imipenem (MICs 0.02-2.0 mg/l). In one patient a coagulase-negative staphylococcus with an MIC of 16 mg/l was isolated after five days of therapy.