SYNTHESIS OF ANTIBIOTIC-LOADED INTERPOROUS HYDROXYAPATITE BLOCKS BY VACUUM METHOD AND IN-VITRO DRUG-RELEASE TESTING

Interporous hydroxyapatite ceramic (Ca-10(PO4)(6)(OH)(2)) has excellen t bio-compatibility and interlinked pore structure, antibiotics could be loaded into pores in vacuum system. To confirm penetration of the a gent to the HAb (2 cm(3) cubic block), the aminoglycoside antibiotic ( Isepamicin Sulfate; ISP) dissolved in eosin dye at various vacuum pres sures. In ISP slow release study, the blocks were placed in 5 ml of PB S at a temperature of 37 degrees C. The PBS was replaced every 48 h an d samples containing released ISP were stored until assay. All were fo und to release the drug maintaining a mean concentration of 0.41 mu g ml(-1) even after 18 days of nine exchanges. This concentration of ant ibiotic exceeded the minimum inhibitory concentration against the comm on causative organisms of osteomyelitis, The results suggest that HAb impregnated with antibiotics using a simple vacuum system may serve as a valuable new method of administering local chemotherapy, primarily when used as a strut graft for bone defects. (C) 1998 Published by Els evier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.