In vitro delivery of crushed ciprofloxacin through a feeding tube

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the relative delivery of ciprofloxacin through a small-bore feeding tube (8 fr, 106 cm, Argyle). DESIGN: Ciprofloxacin 750-mg tablets were individually ground in a mortar and dissolved in 50 mL of water. Each resulting solution was drawn into a syringe and injected into a glass beaker (n = 10) or through a feeding tube into a beaker (n = 10) over one minute. Syringe apparati were flushed with two 60-mL portions of water. Aliquots from each of the 20 beakers were taken in triplicate, diluted 1:1000 with water, and assayed by HPLC. RESULTS: Ciprofloxacin concentrations (mean +/- SD) for the samples without and with feeding tubes were 11.77 +/- 0.78 mumol/L and 12.16 +/- 0.65 mumol/L, respectively. The 3.3 percent difference is statistically significant (p = 0.04), but clearly is not clinically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Administration of crushed ciprofloxacin through a small-bore feeding tube in the manner described does not result in any measurable loss of drug delivered to the gastrointestinal tract.