Penetration into lung tissue after intravenous administration of amoxycillin/clavulanate

In order to investigate the penetration of amoxycillin and clavulanate into lung tissue, ten patients with a malignancy requiring a pulmonary resection, receiving 2000 mg amoxycillin and 200 mg clavulanate by intravenous injection, were studied. Samples of whole blood were taken before dosing and at the time of tissue removal. One to five grams of healthy lung tissue was taken from a segment or lobe other than that in which the tumour was located. All serum and tissue samples were analysed by a microbiological assay. The mean period to elapse before serum sample collection was 41.8 min at which time the mean concentrations were amoxycillin 71.3 and clavulanate 7.8 mg/l. The mean period to elapse before tissue collection was 54.3 min at which time the mean concentrations were amoxycillin 34.1 and clavulanate 2.3 mg/kg. These levels of amoxycillin and clavulanate are high enough to inhibit important pathogens in the lower respiratory tract.