Evaluation of a bone filler scaffold for local antibiotic delivery to prevent Staphylococcus aureus infection in a contaminated bone defect

Sci Rep. 2021 May 13;11(1):10254. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-89830-z.

Abstract

We previously reported the development of an osteogenic bone filler scaffold consisting of degradable polyurethane, hydroxyapatite, and decellularized bovine bone particles. The current study was aimed at evaluating the use of this scaffold as a means of local antibiotic delivery to prevent infection in a bone defect contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus. We evaluated two scaffold formulations with the same component ratios but differing overall porosity and surface area. Studies with vancomycin, daptomycin, and gentamicin confirmed that antibiotic uptake was concentration dependent and that increased porosity correlated with increased uptake and prolonged antibiotic release. We also demonstrate that vancomycin can be passively loaded into either formulation in sufficient concentration to prevent infection in a rabbit model of a contaminated segmental bone defect. Moreover, even in those few cases in which complete eradication was not achieved, the number of viable bacteria in the bone was significantly reduced by treatment and there was no radiographic evidence of osteomyelitis. Radiographs and microcomputed tomography (µCT) analysis from the in vivo studies also suggested that the addition of vancomycin did not have any significant effect on the scaffold itself. These results demonstrate the potential utility of our bone regeneration scaffold for local antibiotic delivery to prevent infection in contaminated bone defects.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Bone Regeneration / drug effects*
  • Bone and Bones / metabolism
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Drug Delivery Systems / methods*
  • Durapatite / pharmacology
  • Gentamicins / pharmacology
  • Osteogenesis / drug effects
  • Osteomyelitis / drug therapy
  • Osteomyelitis / microbiology
  • Rabbits
  • Staphylococcal Infections / drug therapy
  • Staphylococcal Infections / prevention & control
  • Staphylococcus aureus / pathogenicity
  • Tissue Scaffolds / chemistry
  • Vancomycin / pharmacology
  • X-Ray Microtomography / methods

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Gentamicins
  • Vancomycin
  • Durapatite