Activated silver coatings for surgical implants.
Increase in current from 1.8 to 3 and then to 9 microAH+DC/cm2 controlled respectively 25%, 37%, and 69% of S aureus on intramedullary silver pins (too soft in practice) in femurs of rabbits. Then optimal current of 12 muAH+DC/cm2 was used. On stainless steel pins with intramedullary injection of AgCl or AgNO3, a 25% or 64% bacterial control was achieved. Stainless steel pin, silver electroplated or electroplated and chloridized gave 85% and 91% bacterial control. One hundred percent of the bacteria was eliminated with stainless steel pins coated with 100 monomolecular layers of silver stearate.
D000818:Animals; D001858:Bone Nails; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D011817:Rabbits; D012834:Silver; D013193:Stainless Steel; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000166:cytology*
D013193:Stainless Steel; D012834:Silver