Tissue reactions to bacteria-inoculated rat lead samples. I. Effect of local gentamicin release through vicinal sponge or solution-dipping

The effect of local gentamicin release through a vicinal collagen sponge or through preoperative solution-dipping of rat lead samples was investigated in an early-infection model. The efficacy of these methods and their effect on tissue response were determined. It was demonstrated that both methods of local gentamicin release suppress lead-related infectious complications as compared to the control lead, which showed a high presence of inflamed/infected tissues and bacterial growth at each explantation time point. The first day the vicinal collagen sponge was more effective in suppressing the infection than was the solution-dipped lead, probably because there is a faster and higher dose release of gentamicin from the sponge. However, continued implantation time revealed that gentamicin release from the solution-dipped lead was more effective than the sponge. This supports our hypothesis that the presence of lumina are decisive for bacterial growth and persistence of implant-related infections.