Pharmacokinetics of intravenously administered pefloxacin in the prostate;perspectives for its application in surgical prophylaxis

In an attempt to define whether intravenously administered pefloxacin might be appropriate for surgical prophylaxis in prostatectomy. 50 patients unde rgoing transvesical prostatectomy for benign prostate hyperplasia were give n a single intravenous dose of 800 mg, surgery was then performed after 2. 4, 6, 8 or 10 h. Concentrations of perfloxacin were determined in serum and in both the centre and periphery of the prostate adenoma using a microbiol ogical plate assay. Elevated concentrations of pefloxacin were found in the adenoma from 2 h onwards. The central and peripheral concentrations were s imilar and had a mean value of 4.39 mug/g of tissue. These concentrations w ere similar to those achieved in serum. Although concentrations of pefloxac in were not determined separately in the intercellular, interstitial or exc reted fluid, the tissue levels found were well above the MICs of perfloxaci n for the bacteria commonly causing acute and chronic prostatitis. These da ta suggest the intravenous administration of pefloxacin to be a satisfactor y alternative for the surgical prophylaxis before prostatectomy as well as in the therapy of acute prostatitis. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. and Int ernational Society of Chemotherapy All rights reserved.