Ciprofloxacin-Releasing Bioabsorbable Polymer is Superior to Titanium in Preventing Staphylococcus Epidermidis Attachment and Biofilm Formation In Vitro

The susceptibility of implanted biomaterials to bacterial attachment and biofilm formation, and thereby device-associated infections, is a serious problem in implant surgery. Most of the contaminating bacteria have been found to be coagulase-negative staphylococci [1], which belong to the normal flora of human skin and mucous membranes [2]. These bacteria, of which Staphylococcus epidermidis is most frequently encountered in clinical situations, are a major cause of nosocomial infections typically found in patients with indwelling or implanted foreign polymer bodies. The use of different kinds of bioabsorbable materials, especially in pediatric surgery, is increasing. Unfortunately, these materials are also prone to infection. In cases of vascular access, attempts have been made to prevent the attachment of bacteria by using various types of antibiotic coating systems [3]. Similarly, new bioabsorbable osteofixation devices, which can be manufactured in the form of screws that are osteoconductive, bioabsorbable, and antibioticreleasing, with reliable biomechanical properties [4,5], offer the possibility of combining antibiotics with them. This in vitro study with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed to evaluate whether bioabsorbable polylactide-co-glycolide (PLGA) 80/20 on its own, and PLGA together with ciprofloxacin (PLGA+AB) have any advantages over titanium in preventing S. epidermidis attachment and biofilm formation in culture media.