In vivo microdialysis to measure antibiotic penetration into soft tissue during cardiac surgery.
BACKGROUND
Wound infections remain an important problem after cardiac surgery despite antimicrobial prophylaxis, causing increased mortality, morbidity, and costs. Penetration properties of antibiotics are altered by extracorporeal circulation, fluid resuscitation, surgery, and postoperative treatment measures. So far, interstitial antibiotic concentration has not been measured continuously during surgery. It remains uncertain whether the concentration of the prophylactic antibiotic is sufficient in interstitial tissue. Therefore, we measured interstitial concentrations of cefazolin in vivo during cardiac surgery.


METHODS
Seven patients undergoing aortic valve replacement were studied in this prospective, observational, pharmacokinetic study. Cefazolin, 4 g, was administered before skin incision and additionally 2 g during skin closure. Microdialysis, an in vivo approach, was used to measure unbound interstitial drug concentrations.


RESULTS
Cefazolin plasma concentration rose to a peak of 443 microg/mL (range, 169 to 802 microg/mL) within 20 minutes (range, 20 to 40 minutes). The maximum of interstitial concentration of cefazolin was observed within 60 minutes after antibiotic administration. Cefazolin tissue levels exceeded minimum inhibitory concentration values for most potential wound pathogens for more than 600 minutes after infusion. The maximum drug concentration of cefazolin in subcutaneous interstitial fluid was 22.6% of maximum plasma levels, comparable with 19.4% in muscular tissue.


CONCLUSIONS
Cefazolin, administered in the high dose used at our institution, is effective for prevention against infection with the most prevalent pathogens during and immediately after cardiac surgery. Additionally, our data show that it is important to reevaluate clinical dosing schemas by means of direct in vivo measurements.
Hutschala
Doris
D
Department of Cardiothoracic Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, University of Vienna, General Hospital, Vienna, Austria.
Skhirtladze
Keso
K
Kinstner
Christian
C
Mayer-Helm
Bernhard
B
Müller
Markus
M
Wolner
Ernst
E
Tschernko
Edda M
EM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D002437:Cefazolin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D045604:Extracellular Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017551:Microdialysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002437:Cefazolin