Self-mixed antibiotic bone cement: western countries learn from developing countries

The paper of Rasyid et al. (2009) in this issue of Acta Orthopaedica addresses a problem that is important for those who treat bone and joint infections in developing countries, but increasingly also in so-called western countries. The paper is interesting and helpful for all surgeons who have to make antibiotic-loaded beads and spacers by themselves. This is necessary when commercially produced bone cement and beads are not available, or when the antibiotic in the PMMA is not effective due to resistance of the causative bacteria. The paper is based on a recent thesis from the research group of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Groningen, and is part of a series of publications about basic and clinical research on antibiotic-loaded cement and other biomaterials (Belt van de 2001, Hendriks 2003, Neut 2003, Ensing 2006, Engelsman 2009, Rasyid 2009).