Antibiotic impregnated bone cement in total hip arthroplasty. An in vivo comparison of the elution properties of tobramycin and vancomycin.

A prospective in vivo quantification was performed to measure the elution of tobramycin and vancomycin antibiotics from two commonly used bone cements. Forty patients were divided into four groups: Group I, tobramycin-Simplex; Group II, tobramycin-Palacos-R; Group III, vancomycin-Simplex; and Group IV, vancomycin-Palacos-R. Antibiotic levels were measured from hemovac wound drainage, urine, and serum and compared with control groups who received either intravenous tobramycin or vancomycin. There were no significant differences in daily mean tobramycin levels in hemovac samples between Groups I and II. Tobramycin hemovac levels from Groups I and II were significantly higher than the tobramycin control group. Similarly, no differences were seen in daily mean vancomycin levels of the hemovac samples between Group III and IV; however, the intravenous vancomycin control group had significantly higher levels in the hemovac fluid than Groups III or IV. Tobramycin in the hemovac fluid from Groups I and II was highly bioactive against the control organism. Vancomycin in the hemovac fluid from Groups III and IV had variable bioactivity against the control organism. In 30% of the cases, no vancomycin was detected in the hemovac fluid, and in these cases, the hemovac fluid had no effect on the control organism. Tobramycin elutes to give adequate local tissue levels and releases antibiotic effects when used in an antibiotic bone cement combination. Vancomycin has variable elution properties and is not a predictable additive for the bone cements tested.