[Pharmacokinetic and clinical studies on cefotaxime in plastic and reconstructive surgery]

Pharmacokinetic and clinical studies on cefotaxime (CTX) in plastic and reconstructive surgery field were carried out. The results obtained are summarized as follows. Two grams of CTX was administered intravenously by single bolus injection to each of 4 patients with burn blisters and mean levels of CTX concentration in blister exudates were investigated. Thirty minutes after administration, the mean level of CTX in the exudates was 3.90 micrograms/ml and it reached a peak of 9.81 micrograms/ml in 2 hours. The clinical efficacy rate for 30 patients with burn infections and postoperative infections was 73.3%, and the efficacy rate for 29 patients in prophylactic use was 72.4%. A side effect (eruption) and abnormal laboratory findings were observed in each one case out of 59. From the above results, CTX may be considered to be useful in plastic and reconstructive surgical treatments.