Ceftazidime as prophylactic treatment in renal stone surgery. Clinical evaluation and pharmacokinetics in renal tissue.

The effect of ceftazidime in surgery of renal stones associated with urinary tract infection was investigated and its pharmacokinetics in serum and renal tissue was compared in 14 patients (15 kidneys) operated on for renal calculi associated with multiple urinary tract infection. Two to four days preoperatively ureteric catheterization was performed to localize the level of the infection and 2 g of ceftazidime was given intravenously twice daily for 10 days. Renal biopsy, serum samples and in one patient renal lymphatic fluid were taken simultaneously for antibiotic assay. Urine cultures were performed at regular intervals pre- and postoperatively. Ten patients had bacterial growth in the stone-carrying renal pelvis. The same strain was found in the bladder as in the pelvis. Nine patients had sterile urine after 3-5 days of treatment. One patient with bilateral stones did not get sterile urine until after seven days of treatment. Bacterial growth was found in two out of six cultured stones obtained from patients with bacterial growth in the pelvis. The decreases in concentration of ceftazidime in serum and renal tissue seemed to be parallel. Slight reversible elevation of liver transaminases was noted in 5/14 patients. It is concluded that the concentration of ceftazidime in serum parallels that in renal tissue. Ceftazidime seems to be an effective prophylactic in renal stone surgery and the preoperative dose should be given close to the operation.