Serum and lung tissue levels of cephradine in thoracic surgery.

Serum and lung tissue levels in fifteen patients who underwent thoracic surgery were determined by the agar-diffusion plate method after i.m. administration of cephradine (500 mg). The mean value of the serum level 30 to 120 min after administration was 6.5 mug/ml, the mean lung tissue level was 2.6 mug/g. The lung tissue levels reached 40% of the simultaneous serum level. Four patients received cephradine for the treatment of post-operative chest infections. This antibiotic has an important therapeutic role in cases of thoracic-surgical infections.