The state-of-the-art hernia meshes, used in hospitals for hernia repair, are predominantly polymeric textile-based constructs that present high mechanical strength, but lack antimicrobial properties. Consequently, preventing bacterial colonization of implanted prosthetic meshes is of major clinical relevance for patients undergoing hernia repair. In this study, the co-axial electrospinning technique was investigated for the development of a novel mechanically stable structure incorporating dual drug release antimicrobial action. Core/shell structured nanofibers were developed, consisting of Nylon-6 in the core, to provide the appropriate mechanical stability, and Chitosan/Polyethylene oxide in the shell to provide bacteriostatic action. The core/shell structure consisted of a binary antimicrobial system incorporating 5-chloro-8-quinolinol in the chitosan shell, with the sustained release of Poly(hexanide) from the Nylon-6 core of the fibers. Homogeneous nanofibers with a "beads-in-fiber" architecture were observed by TEM, and validated by FTIR and XPS. The composite nanofibrous meshes significantly advance the stress-strain responses in comparison to the counterpart single-polymer electrospun meshes. The antimicrobial effectiveness was evaluated in vitro against two of the most commonly occurring pathogenic bacteria; S. aureus and P. aeruginosa, in surgical site infections. This study illustrates how the tailoring of core/shell nanofibers can be of interest for the development of active antimicrobial surfaces.
Keywords: Antimicrobial fibers; Chitosan; Co-axial electrospinning; Drug release; Hernia meshes; Nylon-6.