[Studies on uterine tissue penetration of ceftazidime and its prophylactic effect on postoperative infections]

Ceftazidime (CAZ) was studied on its penetration into uterine tissues and its prophylactic effect on postoperative infections in patients who underwent vaginal hysterectomy. The results obtained are summarized below. 1. Following 2 g CAZ drip infusion (over 30 minutes), the maximum drug concentration in each uterine part was: 99.7 micrograms/g in portio vaginalis, 83.4 micrograms/g in cervix uteri, 73.9 micrograms/g in myometrium and 70.1 micrograms/g in endometrium. In ovary it was 116 micrograms/g and in oviduct it was 98.6 micrograms/g. 2. When compared a group administered with CAZ (total dose of 7 g in 3 day administration) and a group with other antibiotics (total dose of 10-20 g in 5 days) results in terms of total fever index were 1.8 +/- 3.1 degree hours with the former group and 1.8 +/- 2.8 with the latter, thus there was no difference between the 2 groups. 3. The good penetration of CAZ into uterine tissues, as shown above, suggests that CAZ has high clinical usefulness in prophylaxis of postoperative infections.