Researchers at Duke and UCLA Develop Antibiotic Coating for Orthopedic Implants
DURHAM, NC — Biomedical engineers and surgeons at Duke University and UCLA have demonstrated an antibiotic coating that can be applied to orthopedic implants minutes before surgery that eliminates the chances of an infection around the implant. In early trials in mice, the coating prevented all subsequent infections, even without infusions of antibiotics into the bloodstream, which is the current standard of care. After 20 days, the coating did not reduce the bone’s ability to fuse with the implant and was completely absorbed by the body.
“We’ve shown that a point-of-care, antibiotic-releasing coating protects implants from bacterial challenge, and can be quickly and safely applied in the operating room without the need to modify existing implants,” said Christopher Hart, a resident physician in UCLA Orthopaedic Surgery who helped conduct the experiments.