Anatomical evidence of microbial biofilms in an alloplastic nasal implant

Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2013 Apr;37(2):468-71. doi: 10.1007/s00266-013-0065-9. Epub 2013 Jan 30.

Abstract

Recently, bacterial biofilms have been proposed as a potential cause of the extreme resistance to antibiotics and impaired host responses in potentially infected facial implants. As opposed to the bacteria in a free-floating or planktonic state, biofilms exist in a sessile form, adherent to a solid or liquid interface and become embedded in a complex matrix that is oftentimes impenetrable to modern day antibiotics. This can lead to chronic infection of implants which ultimately necessitates their removal in a majority of cases. In this novel case report, we show the histomorphological appearance of biofilm formation in a patient with an alloplastic nasal implant that was persistently infected and had to be removed.

Level of evidence iv: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Biofilms*
  • Device Removal
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Nasal Obstruction / diagnosis
  • Nasal Obstruction / etiology
  • Nasal Septum / surgery*
  • Prostheses and Implants / microbiology
  • Prosthesis-Related Infections / diagnosis*
  • Prosthesis-Related Infections / microbiology
  • Reoperation
  • Rhinoplasty / adverse effects*
  • Rhinoplasty / methods
  • Staphylococcal Infections / drug therapy
  • Staphylococcal Infections / physiopathology
  • Staphylococcus aureus / physiology*
  • Transplantation, Homologous
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents