Preliminary studies on the impregnation of silastic elastomers with antimicrobial substances.

This study of the effects of various factors on the antibacterial activity of gentamicin-impregnated Silastic has shown that it is unaffected by autoclaving and storage. It has also shown that this activity persists for long periods under crudely simulated in-use conditions. This form of Silastic will be studied further in an attempt to evaluate the kinetics of gentamicin diffusion within it, and to investigate its possible use in preventing colonisation of Holter shunts.