[Basic and clinical evaluations of cefmetazole in postoperative wound infections]

The time course of the concentration of cefmetazole (CMZ) in the serum and in skin and intestinal tissues was determined after a single intravenous injection of 2 g of the drug. CMZ moved into them well. Furthermore, 41 patients with postoperative wound infection (superficial in 29 and deep in 12) were treated with CMZ 2-4 g daily. Bacteriological examination of the lesions with simultaneously carried out. As a result, 101 strains of bacteria were isolated and identified. Mixed infection was found in 27 cases (65.9%). Fifteen strains (14.9%) of E. coli, 15 (14.9%) of B. fragilis, 7 (6.9%) of Klebsiella sp. and 7 (6.9%) of Proteus sp., were the main bacteria isolated. Eight cases (19.5%) had mixed infection of E. coli and B. fragilis. The committee (3 members) evaluated CMZ to be effective in 75.6% (31 of 41 cases) and bacteria disappeared in 60.5% (23 of 38 cases). The side effects observed were pyrosis and feeling of gastric malaise in 1 case. The results suggest that CMZ is useful, which exerts an excellent effect on postoperative wound infections.