In vivo systemic vancomycin determination from polymethyl methacrylate and morselized bone allograft used in two stage septic knee revision arthroplasty

Vancomycin loaded bone allograft achieved higher systemic concentrations that its polymethyl methacrylate counterpart, when being manually loaded with the same amount of antibiotic. Nonetheless, the levels were well below nephrotoxic levels, indicating that this may be a valuable tool for local means of antibiotic therapy in selected patients that could not endure such a systemic therapeutic regiment. For septic revisions, antibiotic loaded bone allograft holds a valuable place in the surgical arsenal of local antimicrobial treatment, by far exceeding that of the polymethyl methacrylate.