title: The effect of glycine filler on the elution rate of gentamicin from acrylic bone cement: a pilot study.
abstract: Elution of antibiotics from acrylic bone cement (polymethylmethacrylate [PMMA]) is dependent on the access of fluid to the depths of the cement that contains the antibiotic. Commercially prepared antibiotic beads that are porous have higher elution rates than hand-mixed, nonporous antibiotic PMMA mixtures. To increase the elution of gentamicin from hand-mixed PMMA, glycine was added as a filler to produce porosity. Elution of gentamicin from the antibiotic PMMA-glycine mixture increased with increasing amounts of glycine. With 3.6 g gentamicin powder and 14 g of crystalline glycine per batch of Palacos PMMA, the elution of gentamicin from the PMMA at 2 days was, similar to the previously documented elution of gentamicin from commercially prepared porous Septopal PMMA beads. With further investigation it may be possible to identify a specific filler and a volume of filler that can be hand mixed in antibiotic PMMA to produce the elution behavior that is needed for specific clinical requirements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205-7199, USA.
authors.forename: Alex C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: McLaren
authors.forename: Carl L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Sandra G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: McLaren
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: DeCLerk
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D001843:Bone Cements; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005998:Glycine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001843:Bone Cements; D005839:Gentamicins; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate; D005998:Glycine