On-demand antibiotic-eluting microchip for implanted spinal screws.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 28878518.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1016/j.jor.2017.07.012 and PMC identifier 5577398.
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Abstract
Surgical instrumentation of the spine is susceptible to infection. Intravenous antibiotics is a current mainstay of treating infection; however penetrating the bacterial biofilm and directly targeting the source of the infection is challenging. Using multiple reservoirs of discrete drug doses, microchips represent a new technology capable of on-demand drug release over long periods of time. A novel solution of integrating vancomycin-eluting microchips into pedicle screws in order directly target and treat spinal infections is proposed. This drug-releasing implant has the potential to provide the particular benefit to high-infection-risk patients in order to avoid reoperation.