We investigated the tissue distribution of vancomycin (VCM) incorporated in fibrin glue (FG) in a rat model. One VCM-loaded FG Dacron graft (VCM-FG, VCM 0.6 mg/ graft) was implanted in the subcutaneous tissue of the anterior abdominal wall of each rat. VCM was injected intravenously at an equal dose (0.6 mg/rat) after implantation of one control graft (without VCM-FG). After the implantation and the iv injection of an equal dose of VCM (0.6 mg/rat), the tissue distribution of VCM for up to 24 h was determined through analysis of the implanted VCM-FG grafts, which released VCM over a 24 h period. The area under the VCM concentration-time curve (AUC) of the tissue was 89.58 micrograms.h/g after the implantation of the VCM-FG graft, and 7.40 micrograms.h/g after the iv injection of VCM, respectively. The targeting index of the tissue, defined as the ratio of AUC after the implantation of the VCM-FG graft to that after VCM iv injection, was 12.11. None of the six VCM-FG Dacron grafts after implantation became infected following inoculation with S. aureus ATCC 25923 (0.1 mL 10(8) CFU/mL). These results suggest that this VCM-FG Dacron graft delivery may be useful in preventing local infection by enhancing the delivery of VCM to the local areas of the implanted site in rats.