Preventing Biofilm Formation on Implants: The In Vitro Performance of Surgical Irrigation

Authors: Fahimeh Tabatabaei, PhD, Rebecca McMahon, PhD, Nina Bionda, PhD  

This research study presents a comparative in vitro analysis of the biofilm prevention effectiveness of nine commercially available irrigation solutions on four commonly used implantable materials. These solutions utilize a range of antimicrobial technologies, including acids, surfactants, polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB), povidone-iodine (PVP-I), chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG), benzalkonium chloride (BZK), and a triple antibiotic solution (TAS). Each solution was evaluated using a two-minute pre-treatment contact time on four different implantable materials. Two common bacteria, Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa, known to cause surgical site infections, were used in simulated synovial fluid to mimic the conditions typically encountered in joint replacement surgeries.