The Pharmacokinetics of Methicillin and Dicloxacillin in Wound Fluid Following Internal Fixation of Trochanteric Fractures

Abstract

Prior to the operation, patients undergoing internal fixation of pertrochanteric fractures were given a single intravenous dose of either 2 g methicillin (5 patients) or 1 g dicloxacillin (5 patients). During the postoperative period the concentrations of the two antibiotics were examined in the serum and wound fluid. Based on the concentrations obtained per gram of antibiotics administered there was no difference between the two antibiotics. For both antibiotics the wound fluid concentration was higher than the serum concentration. The elimination from the wound fluid was significantly slower than from the serum. Thus the half-life in wound fluid was found to be approximately 1½ times that of the half-life in serum.

Key Words:

• antibiotics
• dicloxacillin
• hip fractures
• methicillin
• pharmacokinetics
• wound infection