CIPROFLOXACIN ATTACHMENT TO POROUS-COATED TITANIUM SURFACES

A simple and effective method for attaching ciprofloxacin HCl salt to the surface of porous-coated titanium based orthopedic materials was d eveloped. The method utilizes the electrophoretic migration of both fi ne ciprofloxacin HCl particles and ciprofloxacin ions to deposit the a ntibiotic salt on a positively biased surface. The quantity of antibio tic deposited can be easily and effectively controlled by varying the time of deposition and applied voltage. In vitro tests have indicated that the antimicrobial activity of the treated surfaces is retained fo r a period of 5 days. The method allows a significant amount of antibi otic to be deposited and could theoretically be used to deliver antibi otics to the tissues surrounding prosthetic devices in order to preven t postoperative infections. (C) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.