The Infected Polypropylene Mesh: When Does Biofilm Form and Which Antiseptic Solution Most Effectively Removes It?

Suenghwan Jo; Christina Chao; Tyler K Khilnani; Aarti Shenoy; Mathias P G Bostrom; Alberto V Carli

doi:10.1016/j.arth.2024.04.081

The Infected Polypropylene Mesh: When Does Biofilm Form and Which Antiseptic Solution Most Effectively Removes It?

J Arthroplasty. 2024 May 7:S0883-5403(24)00429-7. doi: 10.1016/j.arth.2024.04.081. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Suenghwan Jo¹, Christina Chao², Tyler K Khilnani², Aarti Shenoy², Mathias P G Bostrom², Alberto V Carli³

Affiliations

¹ Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY; Chosun University, School of Medicine, Gwangju, South Korea.
² Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY.
³ Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY. Electronic address: carlia@hss.edu.

PMID: 38723699
DOI: 10.1016/j.arth.2024.04.081

Abstract

Background: Polypropylene (PPE) mesh is commonly utilized to reconstruct catastrophic extensor mechanism disruptions in revision total knee arthroplasty. Unfortunately, these procedures are associated with a high rate of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). The purpose of the current study was to: 1) visualize and quantify the progression of bacterial biofilm growth on PPE-mesh; and 2) determine which antiseptic solutions effectively remove viable bacteria.

Methods: Knitted PPE mesh samples were cultured with either methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) or Escherichia coli (E. coli) for 7 days, with regular quantification of colony forming units (CFUs) and visualization using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to identify maturity. Immature (24 hour) and mature (72 hour) biofilm was treated with one of five commercial antiseptics for three minutes. A 0.05% chlorhexidine gluconate, a surfactant-based formulation of ethanol, acetic acid, sodium acetate, benzalkonium chloride, diluted povidone-iodine (0.35%), undiluted (10%) povidone-iodine, and 1:1 combination of 10% povidone-iodine and 3% hydrogen peroxide. A three-log reduction in colony-forming units (CFUs) compared to saline was considered clinically meaningful.

Results: The CFU counts plateaued, indicating maturity, at 72 hours for both MSSA and E. coli. The SEM confirmed confluent biofilm formation after 72 hours. The 10% povidone-iodine was clinically effective against all MSSA biofilms and immature E. coli biofilms. The 10% povidone-iodine with hydrogen peroxide was effective in all conditions. Only 10% povidone iodine formulations produced significantly (P < 0.0083) reduced CFU counts against mature biofilms.

Conclusion: Bacteria rapidly form biofilm on PPE mesh. Mesh contamination can be catastrophic, and clinicians should consider utilizing an antiseptic solution at the conclusion of mesh implantation. Undiluted povidone-iodine with hydrogen peroxide should be considered when attempting to salvage infected PPE mesh.

Keywords: Biofilm; Extensor mechanism reconstruction; Irrigation solutions; Polypropylene; mesh.