The clearance of gentamicin from antibiotic-loaded bone cement.

The concentrations of Gentamicin in the serum, drainage fluid and urine were determined by radioimmunoassay in 40 patients after total hip replacement and 10 after knee replacement. Palacos R bone cement with added Gentamicin had been used to fix the prostheses in all cases. Two types of response were observed; in Group I the Gentamicin levels rose very rapidly, whereas in Group II a more gradual increase was seen. In all cases the level of Gentamicin had fallen to a negligible amount by the fifth day after operation.