title: Durability of anti-infective effect of long-term silicone sheath catheters impregnated with antimicrobial agents.
abstract: This study was performed to test the long-term antimicrobial efficacy of impregnated silicone catheters comprising an antimicrobial layer sandwiched between an external surface sheath and a luminal surface silicone sheath. The design of the catheter permits the introduction of various antimicrobials in addition to anticoagulants or antifibrins in the antimicrobial layer and allows their gradual release over a period of months after insertion. The in vitro data presented show that the catheter can provide antimicrobial activity for 90 days, after being replated for 15 7-day cycles of replating. When the catheters were immersed in human serum and incubated at 37 degrees C, they demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity after more than 325 days of incubation. The significant long-term in vitro antimicrobial activity observed may imply effective in vivo activity for almost 1 year after insertion and could serve as a cost-effective alternative to surgically implantable silicone catheters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Texas-Houston Medical School, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA. Robert.K.Tcholakian@uth.tmc.edu
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Tcholakian
authors.forename: I I
authors.initials: II
authors.lastname: Raad
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D013677:Medical Laboratory Science / Q000379:methods; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D019736:Prostheses and Implants / Q000382:microbiology; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D012828:Silicones / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D012828:Silicones