DOI: 10.21276/sajp.2017.6.9.6

Pages: 410-412

AmBisome [Injection] is a non-pyrogenic lyophilized product for intravenous infusion and each vial contains amphotericin B [50 mg], intercalated into a liposomal membrane. The safety of Ambisome as prophylactic antifungal has been assessed in bone marrow transplant recepients, liver transplant recepients, renal transplant recepients and combined organ trans plant recepients. AmBisome was discontinued due to side-effects in 3% of the cases. In the current study involving small bowel transplant [SBT] patients it can be noted that all SBT patients tolerated the amBisome test dose well. However when intravenous infusion of amBisome was administered especially in neutropenic patients, it was noted that 3 patients (11%) developed a severe drug reaction and the drug had to be discontinued. The small bowel transplant patients in whom ambisome was discontinued there was a drug reaction which can be considered as a cumulative dose related reaction. It can be concluded that Ambisome is generally a safe drug for antifungal prophylaxis in small bowel transplant patients. The use of ambisome in neutropenic patients may amplify the cumulative dose reaction and may contribute to the picture that we have seen.