In vitro mechanical and drug release properties of bioabsorbable ciprofloxacin containing and neat self-reinforced P(L/DL)LA 70/30 fixation screws.

Osteomyelitis is inflammation of the bone caused by a pathogenic organism. Both its acute and chronic forms are difficult to heal. Antibiotics are still the basic treatment for osteomyelitis. Bioabsorbable ciprofloxacin containing bone fixation screws based on self-reinforced (SR) copolylactide P(L/DL)LA 70/30 have been developed for local treatment of bone infections. These screws gradually released ciprofloxacin during the in vitro bulk degradation of the matrix polymer and at the same time have sufficient mechanical strength. All the loaded ciprofloxacin was released from the gamma sterilized screws during 44 in vitro weeks and the concentration of the released drug per day remained between 0.06 and 8.7 microg/ml after the start-up burst peak.