[Concentration of sulbenicillin in human serum and myocardial tissue]

The concentration of sulbenicillin in the serum and myocardial tissue of 13 patients were determined at cardiac surgery. About 100 mg/kg of sulbenicillin were administered intravenously for 60 minutes. Right auricle resected at the vena caval cannuration was examined for myocardial tissue. The serum concentration was also examined every 30 minutes after injection, 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes, 120 minutes and 150 minutes. Mean values of serum concentration were 213.6 micrograms/ml, 432.5 micrograms/ml, 181.6 micrograms/ml, 236.3 micrograms/ml and 101 micrograms/ml, respectively. The values determined in myocardial tissue were 146.5 micrograms/g (60 minutes), 39.2 micrograms/g (90 minutes), 66.0 micrograms/g (120 minutes) and 23.5 micrograms/g (150 minutes). The mean value of concentration ratio of sulbenicillin in myocardial tissue was 0.23 of serum concentration. The high myocardial tissue levels of sulbenicillin suggests that its use at cardiovascular surgery would protect the myocardial tissue from the bacterial infections.