The penetration of ciprofloxacin into bronchial mucosa, lung parenchyma, and pleural tissue after intravenous administration.

We have studied the concentrations of ciprofloxacin in serum, bronchial mucosa, lung parenchyma, and pleural tissue after a single intravenous dose of 200 mg in 20 patients subjected to lung surgery. The concentrations of ciprofloxacin in the tissues exceeded that in the serum by 3-fold to 7-fold: serum 0.6 micrograms.ml-1, bronchial mucosa 1.9 micrograms.g-1, lung parenchyma 3.4 micrograms.g-, and pleural tissue 1.7 micrograms.g-1. The achievable concentrations of ciprofloxacin in the tissues of the lower respiratory tract are above the MICs for most lung pathogens.