TISSUE CONCENTRATIONS OF 3RD-GENERATION CEPHALOSPORINS (CEFTAZIDIME AND CEFTRIAXONE) IN LOWER-EXTREMITY TISSUES USING A TOURNIQUET

Prophylactic antibiotic administration for selected major orthopaedic procedures is feasible with wide-spectrum antibiotics that can achieve high tissue levels. We studied the influence of tourniquet on the in vivo concentrations of ceftazidime and ceftriaxone in soft tissue and bone. Our study group consisted of 47 patients undergoing reconstructi ve operations of lower extremities. The effect of different time inter vals between antibiotic administration and tourniquet inflation was ex amined. Our data suggest that the time interval resulting in the highe st tissue concentrations is approximately 20 min between administratio n and tourniquet inflation.