In vitro adherence of Staphylococcus epidermidis to silicone punctual plugs and collagen implants

Purpose: To evaluate in vitro adherence of Staphylococcus epidermidis to si licone punctal plugs and collagen implants. Setting: Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois, USA. Methods: Silicone punctal plugs and collagen implants were exposed to S epi dermidis (3 x 10(8) colony forming units/mL) for 0, 5, 30, and 60 minutes, rinsed in sterile saline, and processed for light, scanning (SEM), and tran smission (TEM) electron microscopy. Scanning electron microscopy (x 2000) w as used to quantify bacteria/mm(2) adhering to the devices. Results: The mean S epidermidis/mm(2) +/- (SD) adhering to each device were as follows: baseline, silicone punctal plug, 1593 +/- 899, and collagen im plant, 7168 +/- 2895 (P =.000, paired Student t test); 5 minutes, silicone punctal plug, 3833 +/- 537, and collagen implant, 6571 +/- 2240 (P=.008); 3 0 minutes, silicone punctal plug, 13 988 +/- 9076, and collagen implant, 10 404 +/- 1731 (P =.2616); and 60 minutes, silicone punctal plug, 12 644 +/- 10 402, and collagen implant, 11 748 +/- 2685 (P =.8056). Conclusions: Staphylococcus epidermidis adhered significantly more to colla gen implants than to silicone punctal plugs at 0 and 5 minutes, No signific ant difference in bacterial adherence was seen at 30 and 60 minutes, For bo th devices, bacterial adherence in creased with increasing exposure. J Cata ract Refract Surg 2001; 27:1298-1302 (C) 2001 ASCRS and ESCRS.