Prevention of pin track infection in external fixation with silver coated pins: Clinical and microbiological results

A. Massè, A. Bruno, M. Bosetti, A. Biasibetti, M. Cannas, P. Gallinaro

Risultato della ricerca: Contributo su rivistaArticolo in rivistapeer review

Abstract

Pin tract infection is a frequent complication of external fixation; according to literature its frequency ranges from 2-30%. The recent introduction of silver coating of polymeric materials was found to decrease bacterial adhesion; its clinical use with Foley catheters and central venous catheters led to significant results. To verify the ability of the same silver coating to decrease the bacterial colonization on external fixation screws, a prospective randomized study was carried out on 24 male patients; a total of 106 screws were implanted in the lower limb to fix femoral or tibial diaphyseal fractures: 50 were coated with silver and 56 were commercially available stainless steel screws. Although the coated screws resulted in a lower rate of positive cultures (30.0%) than the uncoated screws (42.9%), this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.243). the clinical behavior of the coated screws did not differ from that of the uncoated ones. Furthermore, the implant of silver-coated screws resulted in a significant increase in the silver serum level. These results led us to consider it ethically unacceptable to continue this investigation. (C) 2000 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

Lingua originaleInglese
pagine (da-a)600-604
Numero di pagine5
RivistaJournal of Biomedical Materials Research
Volume53
Numero di pubblicazione5
DOI
Stato di pubblicazionePubblicato - 2000

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