[Studies on the transfer of cefotaxime into bone marrow blood]

Cefotaxime (CTX) was administered in a dose of 2 g to 20 adult patients prior to orthopaedic surgery. Samples of the bone marrow blood and the forearm venous blood were collected at 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes after the CTX administration, and the concentration of the drug in each sample was determined. The results are described below. The mean concentration of CTX transferred into the bone marrow blood was 59.7, 28.9, 14.7 and 7.2 micrograms/ml at 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes after the CTX administration, respectively. The mean concentration of CTX in the venous blood was 84.0, 39.1, 19.0 and 13.8 micrograms/ml at 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes after the CTX administration, respectively. The mean ratio of the CTX concentration in the bone marrow blood to that in the venous blood was 73.9%, 71.0%, 75.1% and 51.6% at 30, 60, 90, 120 minutes after the CTX administration. From the above results, CTX is considered to be a useful antibiotic if it is administered prior to orthopaedic surgery to prevent infections.