ELUTION CHARACTERISTICS OF GENTAMICIN-PMMA BEADS AFTER IMPLANTATION IN HUMANS

Seventeen patients had gentamicin-PMMA beads implanted for treatment o f orthopedic infections. The authors found that beads implanted in pat ients for 3 to 36 weeks were capable of eluting high levels of antibio tic after retrieval. Beads that were implanted in patients for less th an 10 weeks eluted significantly higher antibiotic levels than beads w ere implanted for more than 14 weeks. This study supports the local us e of these beads in the treatment of musculoskeletal infections.