Gentamycin in cardiac surgery.

Gentamycin concentration in the serum, pericardial fluid, auricle, valve and papillary muscles of 14 patients subjected to cardiac surgery was determined after intramuscular administration of 80 mg of the drug. Fifty to 140 minutes after administration the mean level in the serum was 6.0 mcg/ml, in the pericardial fluid 0.6 mcg/ml, in the auricle 5.8 mcg/g, while after 120 to 240 minutes in the valve 1.2--9.6 mcg/g and in the papillary muscles 2.0--3.6 mcg/g of gentamycin was measured. Consequently, an efficacious gentamycin concentration can be achieved in the cardiac tissues but not in the pericardial fluid which makes gentamycin excellently suited for the prevention and treatment of the infectious complications of heart operations.