Intraperitoneal penetration of cefotetan.

The intraperitoneal penetration of cefotetan was studied after a 1-g intravenous injection in 25 patients undergoing elective gastrointestinal surgery. Levels of peritoneal fluid were high within 10 min after administration and increased to 44% of the serum levels after 30 min, rising to 115% at 3 h. The mean concentration of cefotetan between 3 and 5 h after administration was 32.3 micrograms/ml. These findings suggest that 1 g of cefotetan administered before abdominal surgery would result in intraperitoneal cefotetan levels necessary to inhibit susceptible pathogens for 5 h or more.