INTRAOSSEOUS ADMINISTRATION OF ANTIBIOTICS VIA THE OSTEOPORT

DIFFICULTY IN OBTAINING AND MAINTAINING INTRAVENOUS (I.V.) ACCESS FOR MEDICATION ADMINISTRATIONIS A FREQUENT COMPLICATION ENCOUNTERED DURING CHRONIC ANTIBIOTIC THERAPY FOR SERIOUS INFECTIONS. IN A RECENT STUDY, 45% OF AIDS PATIENTS REQUIRED DISCONTINUATION OF CENTRAL VENOUSCATHETERS DUE TO INFECTIONS AND OTHER SERIOUS COMPLICATIONS. INTRAOSSEOUS (I.O.) DRUG ADMINISTRATION USING THE OSTEOPORT, AN INTRAMEDULLARY CATHETER, IS PROPOSED AS A SAFER ALTERNATIVE TO LONG-TERM I.V. ADMINISTRATION. THIS RESEARCH WILL EVALUATE I.O. ADMINISTRATION OF CEFTAZIDIME (CFTZ) THROUGH THE OSTEOPORT IN AN ANIMAL (GOAT) MODEL. CFTZ HAS BEEN CHOSEN ASREPRESENTATIVE OF ANTIBIOTICS WHICH ARE COMMONLY ADMINISTERED I.V. TO AIDS PATIENTS. THE PHARMACOKINETICS OF CFTZ WILL BE COMPARED BETWEEN I.V. AND I.O. ADMINISTRATION. SERUM LEVELS OF CFTZ WILL BE DETERMINED BY HPLC ON SEQUENTIAL BLOOD SAMPLES OBTAINED AFTER SINGLE I.V. AND I.O. DOSES, AND AFTER REPEATED I.O. DOSING. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE STUDY HISTOLOGIC EVALUATION OF THE OSTEOPORT IMPLANT SITE WILL BE PERFORMED TO DETERMINE IF LOCAL PATHOLOGY IS ASSOCIATED WITH REPEATED I.O. ADMINISTRATION OF CFTZ.