The volume of distribution of ceftazidime and albumin in normal, immature and infected bone.

The penetration of ceftazidime into bone was determined by measuring the volume of distribution of 14C-ceftazidime in infected and non-infected bone of adult mongrel dogs. The volume of distribution in non-infected cortical bone was 0.114 +/- 0.011 l/kg (mean +/- S.E.M.) and increased significantly in non-infected immature callus to 0.484 +/- 0.13 l/kg (P less than 0.05). In the presence of infection, the volume of distribution in non-infected cortical bone was 0.144 +/- 0.05 l/kg, and significantly higher in infected reactive cortical bone, 0.453 +/- 0.07 (P less than 0.05). We conclude that ceftazidime penetrates infected and non-infected bone and that this penetration is greater into immature bone.