The efficacy of controlled antibiotic release for prevention of polyethyleneterephthalate- (Dacron-) related infection in cardiovascular surgery.

Infection of prostheses containing polyethyleneterephthalate (Dacron) remains a dreaded complication in cardiovascular surgery despite perioperative antibiotic (AB) prophylaxis. Dacron, which is widely applied as a fabric for manufacturing vascular prostheses and also the sewing rings of artificial heart valves, remains a source for infection once implanted in the body. In order to increase the AB concentration in Dacron, an experimental study including topical application of the gentamicin derivative EMD 46/217 and fibrin sealant (F) as AB carrier was initiated. In-vitro pretreatment of Dacron with the gentamicin derivative and F was followed by constant AB release for three weeks. In a subsequent animal study, four Dacron rings with different pretreatments were implanted in the descending aorta of ten pigs after direct contamination with 10 8 Staph. aureus solution. One ring was pretreated with the AB/F compound, a second ring with the AB alone. Ring 3 (no pretreatment) and ring 4 (F alone) served as controls. After one week, the Dacron rings and their corresponding implantation sites were asserved for measurement of AB content and for culture. The AB content of AB/F rings was 24.99 +/- 7.16 mug/g wet weight, while Dacron rings pretreated with the AB alone contained no measurable drug amounts, with the exception of one specimen (0.5 mug/g)(AB/F versus AB rings: P less than 0.0005).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)