OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that antibiotic-laden polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) pin sleeves prevent infection around skeletal external fixation pins. DESIGN: An experimental study using an animal model was conducted. ANIMALS: In each of five goats, three four-millimeter half-pins were placed in the left and right iliac crests, for a total of thirty half-pins. The pins were infected with one milliliter of broth containing 7.6 x 10(5) colony-forming units per milliliter of Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923). INTERVENTION: The pins in the right iliac crest were treated with the tobramycin-impregnated pin sleeves, and the pins in the left iliac crest (control) were left untreated. RESULTS: The results showed clinical evidence of infection (i.e., looseness and gross pus) and heavy bacterial growth (average 6.8 x 10(10) colony-forming units per milliliter) for the untreated pins, but no clinical evidence of infection and no bacterial growth at forty-eight hours for the treated pins. CONCLUSION: The present results indicate that the use of the antibiotic-impregnated PMMA pin sleeve can prevent the development of pin-tract infection and appears to prevent colonization of the external fixation pins.
OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that antibiotic-laden polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) pin sleeves prevent infection around skeletal external fixation pins. DESIGN: An experimental study using an animal model was conducted. ANIMALS: In each of five goats, three four-millimeter half-pins were placed in the left and right iliac crests, for a total of thirty half-pins. The pins were infected with one milliliter of broth containing 7.6 x 10(5) colony-forming units per milliliter of Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923). INTERVENTION: The pins in the right iliac crest were treated with the tobramycin-impregnated pin sleeves, and the pins in the left iliac crest (control) were left untreated. RESULTS: The results showed clinical evidence of infection (i.e., looseness and gross pus) and heavy bacterial growth (average 6.8 x 10(10) colony-forming units per milliliter) for the untreated pins, but no clinical evidence of infection and no bacterial growth at forty-eight hours for the treated pins. CONCLUSION: The present results indicate that the use of the antibiotic-impregnated PMMA pin sleeve can prevent the development of pin-tract infection and appears to prevent colonization of the external fixation pins.
Authors: Martin Gathen; Milena Maria Ploeger; Max Jaenisch; Sebastian Koob; Davide Cucchi; Adnan Kasapovic; Thomas Randau; Richard Placzek Journal: J Mater Sci Mater Med Date: 2019-11-08 Impact factor: 3.896
Authors: Suzanne Stewart; Stephanie Barr; Julie Engiles; Noreen J Hickok; Irving M Shapiro; Dean W Richardson; Javad Parvizi; Thomas P Schaer Journal: J Bone Joint Surg Am Date: 2012-08-01 Impact factor: 5.284