The disposition profile of ceftriaxone was studied in 12 functionally anephric patients (creatinine clearance less than 10 ml/min) who received bolus injections of 150, 500, and 1500 mg IV in a noncrossover fashion. As in healthy subjects, the kinetics in uremic patients were nonlinear for total (bound plus unbound) and linear for free (unbound) drug. The plasma protein binding was reduced due to a decreased association constant, resulting in a doubling of the free fraction in plasma. Ten of 12 patients showed nonrenal clearance values of unbound drug (ClFNR) identical to those in healthy adults and only minor increases in their biologic t1/2(beta) compared to normal (12 and 8 hr). These patients would require no dose adjustments in their dosing regimen. Two of the patients exhibited decreased ClFNR values and increased t1/2(alpha) of 20 and 34 hr. Anephric patients with impaired nonrenal elimination would require minor dose adjustments.