Absorption of antibiotics during peritoneal dialysis in patients with renal failure.

Cloxacillin, ampicillin, cephaloridine, kanamycin, and polymyxin B were administered singly in the dialysis fluid of patients having peritoneal dialysis for chronic renal failure. Therapeutic blood levels could be attained with all the drugs by the end of 12 hours of dialysis, using a concentration in the dialysis fluid which did not produce any local toxic symptoms. Absorption rates across the peritoneum were higher for cephaloridine, ampicillin, and cloxacillin than for kanamycin and polymyxin B. The serum half-lives after termination of dialysis were in excess of 11 hours, except that for cloxacillin which had a half life of about 2.5 hours.