INFECTION ADJACENT TO TITANIUM AND BONE-CEMENT IMPLANTS - AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY IN RABBITS

A pure titanium cylinder or a piece of bone cement was implanted in ea ch upper tibial metaphysis of 20 rabbits. After 4 months radiograms we re taken and 10(4), 10(6), or 10(8) Staphylococcus aureus were injecte d into each leg through central holes in the implants in three groups of animals. Four weeks later new radiograms, bacteriological and histo logical biopsies were obtained. Three animals died before the end of t he experiment. In animals which received 10(6) or 10(8) S. aureus radi ographic signs of infection were found in 11/22 legs with both titaniu m and bone cement implants. No radiolucent zones developed around the implants. Bacteriological cultures from bone close to the implants wer e negative in all legs with titanium implants and positive in four leg s with cement implants. Seven cultures were negative in spite of radio graphic changes. It is concluded that after a proper time for wound he aling the bone around unloaded implants of both titanium and bone ceme nt is fairly resistant to infection. in some cases, healing of an infe ction in the surrounding bone seems possible.