Stainless steel (SS316L) is an alloy commonly used for artificial hip and knee replacements.  In these applications, bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus can adhere to the implant surface and form a biofilm that is resistant to systemic antibiotic therapy.  To combat bacterial adhesion and retard biofilm development, localized presentation of antibiotics on the surface was achieved using amide bond formation between monolayers of 16-phosphonohexadecanoic acid and the antibiotics, gentamicin and vancomycin.  Surface localization was confirmed by reflectance infrared spectroscopy and MALDI-MS.  Using zone inhibition assays, colony forming unit enumeration, and confocal laser scanning microscopy with COMSTAT analysis,  gentamicin was effective at reducing biofilm growth by 99% at short time points (2,6 hours). Vancomycin, alone, exhibited increased effectiveness from 6-48 hours, reducing biofilm formation by 99%.  Immobilizing both antibiotics on the surface resulted in overall reduction of biofilm growth from 2-48hrs, indicating the antibiotics were acting synergistically on the surface.

Significant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> biofilm reduction by SAM immobilized antibiotics on implant materials

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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Significant Staphylococcus aureus biofilm reduction by SAM immobilized antibiotics on implant materials