33rd Annual Scientific Meeting proceedings

Introduction: Traditionally, intravenous regional limb perfusion (IVRLP) with antimicrobials has been used in the treatment of soft tissue infections in horses, since it results in higher concentration and reduces the risk of systemic toxicity that leads to renal and gastrointestinal side effects.

Material and Methods: IVRLP was carried on 6 healthy adult Beagle. Patients were sedated and anaesthetized, the cephalic vein was catheterized and a Esmarch bandage was placed proximal to the elbow. A 7.5 mg/kg dose of injectable amikacin sulfate was diluted to a volume of 10 ml and injected into the cephalic vein. The torniquete was mantained for 20 minutes and a skin sample was collected with a 4mm punch just after removing the tourniquet (T0), at one hour (T1), 6 hours (T2), 12 hours (T3), 24 hours (T4), 36 hours (T5) and 48 hours (T6). At T2 and T5, another skin sample was collected from the contralateral limb, and carpal synovial fluid was extracted (T1).

Samples were subjected to liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry.

Results: In skin harvested from the study limb, there was a statistically significant difference between the concentrations of amikacin at different time periods (Friedman; p=0,001): maximum concentration was detected at T1 (34.46mg/l); minimum concentration was identified at T6 (1.79mg/l). In the contralateral control limb, skin amikacin concentration at T2 (0.58mg/l) and T6 (0.12mg/l) differed significantly from that in the study limb (7.19mg/l (T2) and 1.79mg/l (T6)). No local or systemic adverse effects were observed.

Discussion/Conclusion: IVRLP could be considered for the treatment of soft tissue infections and osteomyelitis in dogs.