Abstract

Fucidin is useful against `antibiotic-resistant staphylococci' which are a major problem in causing shunt site infections in patients on chronic intermittent haemodialysis for end-stage renal failure. A new form of intravenous fucidin has been used in vivo in three patients on haemodialysis, and also in experiments in vitro in order to assess its dialysing properties. The experiments in vitro show that some fucidin does cross the dialyser membrane but, in the patients studied, adequate serum levels were maintained throughout a 10-hour haemodialysis. A single intravenous dose of Fucidin is, therefore, adequate for treating `antibiotic-resistant' staphylococcal infections in patients during haemodialysis.