The AAHKS Best Podium Presentation Research Award: Comparing the Efficacy of Irrigation Solutions on Staphylococcal Biofilm Formed on Arthroplasty Surfaces

A diverse array of antibacterial solutions is utilized by orthopedic surgeons in an attempt to disperse bacterial biofilm. Few studies compare these agents against biofilm grown on clinically relevant orthopedic biomaterials, such as plastic, acrylic cement, and porous titanium.

MSSA biofilm was grown on plastic 48-well plates, polymethylmethacrylate cement beads and porous Ti-6Al-4V acetabular screw caps. Antibacterial solutions were tested according to manufacturer guidance and included: isotonic saline, vancomycin (1 mg/mL), polymyxin-bacitracin (500,000 U/L-50,000 U/L), povidone-iodine 0.3%, povidone-iodine 10%, a 1:1 combination of povidone-iodine 10% & 4% hydrogen peroxide, polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) and betaine 0.04%, a commercial solution containing chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) 0.05%, and a commercial solution containing benzalkonium chloride and ethanol. Twenty four and 72-hour biofilms were exposed to solutions for 3 minutes to reproduce intraoperative conditions. Solution efficacy was measured through sonication of treated surfaces followed by counting colony forming units and validated with a resazurin assay to assess cell viability. Experiments were performed in triplicate and repeated at least once. A three-fold log reduction in CFU counts versus controls was considered as a measure of solution efficacy.

Saline, vancomycin and polymyxin-bacitracin were ineffective compared to other solutions against planktonic MSSA. Povidone-iodine 10% and a 1:1 solution of povidone-iodine 10% and 4% hydrogen peroxide were the only effective solutions against biofilm across all three surfaces and time points.

Commercial antibacterial solutions vary significantly in their efficacy against MSSA biofilm. Efficacy globally decreased as biofilm maturity increased. Increased solution cost did not confer increased efficacy.