title: Enhancing Drug Release From Antibiotic-loaded Bone Cement Using Porogens.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether the addition of porogens to polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) enhances the antibiotic elution rate from antibiotic-loaded bone cement.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two porogens, gelatin sponge (Spongostan, Ferrosan Medical Devices) and ceramic granules (Bicera, Wiltrom), were added to liquid gentamicin-loaded PMMA at increasing concentrations. Porosity was analyzed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Young's modulus and drug elution were also measured. The gentamicin content of the eluents was evaluated by o-phthaldialdehyde (OPA) assay on days 1, 2, 5, 7, 10, and 14.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After day 5, the drug-releasing rate of Spongostan was significantly higher than that of Bicera in the order G3 > G2 > T3 > G1 > T2 > T1 > bone cement, where G represents the concentration of Spongostan and T represents the concentration of Bicera. The addition of Bicera and Spongostan increased the drug-releasing efficiency of PMMA by 3.75-fold and 5.65-fold, respectively. Spongostan also resulted in larger pores (ie, 70 to approximately 200 μm) compared with Bicera (5 to 10 μm) but reduced biomechanical strength.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both gelatin sponge and ceramic granules improved the local antibiotic elution rate, although the drug-releasing rate of Spongostan was significantly higher than that of Bicera.
authors: From the Department of Orthopaedics, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City (Dr. Wu, Dr. Chen, and Dr. Chang), and the Graduate School of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Yuan Ze University, Taoyuan (Dr. Hsu), Taiwan.
authors: Karl
authors: K
authors: Wu
authors: Yu-Chun
authors: YC
authors: Chen
authors: Yuan-Ming
authors: YM
authors: Hsu
authors: Chih-Hung
authors: CH
authors: Chang
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D001843:Bone Cements / Q000737:chemistry*; D002516:Ceramics; D065546:Drug Liberation; D005339:Fibrin Foam; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate / Q000737:chemistry*; D016062:Porosity; D013718:Tensile Strength
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001843:Bone Cements; D005339:Fibrin Foam; D005839:Gentamicins; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate