[Gentamicin concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with inflamed and uninflamed meninges (author's transl)].

Determinations of gentamicin levels in serum and cerebrospinal fluid were performed in 11 tests of eight patients suffering from memingitis and in 18 tests of eight patients after neurosurgical operations. Neurosurgical operations had been performed in this group at least four days prior to testing. Only in four tests in neurosurgical patients were the gentamicin levels in CSF higher than the lowest measurable concentration of 0.4 mcg/ml, serum levels in this group ranged from below 0.4 mcg/ml up to 5.0 mcg/ml. No gentamicin level in CSF exceeded 1.5 mcg/ml. Gentamicin levels in CSF of patients with meningitis ranged from below 0.4 mcg/ml to 5.66 mcg/ml. This equals a CSF/serum ratio of 7.4-57.6%, mean 25.8%.