Experimental study on bacterial colonization of fibrin glue and its prevention.

To assess the possibility of bacterial colonization of fibrin glue and the effects of adding local sustained-release antibiotics, we conducted in vivo and in vitro preliminary studies. The in vitro experiments revealed that, although there was no colonization of the fibrin glue plates by the eight strains of bacteria tested, the fibrin mesh can serve as a culture medium when blood mingles with it, as is the case in clinical use. Adding dibekacin sulfate (DKB; 3570 micrograms/mL) to fibrin glue decreased the likelihood of colonization of the fibrin mesh. The pharmacokinetics of the added DKB were investigated by adding DKB-supplemented fibrin glue directly to muscle and vascular tissue in male rats. The DKB rapidly eluded from the fibrin glue (less than 0.2% remained after 24 hours). Because the amount remaining after 7 days (2.03 micrograms/mL) was greater than the minimum inhibitory concentration for most clinical pathogens, a 7-day preventive effect against colonization of the fibrin glue and the surrounding tissue can be anticipated at the concentration used in the present experiments. Experiments using the dermis layer of porcine skin strips showed that the added DKB did not affect the adhesive strength of the fibrin glue.