| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
MS&T24: Materials Science & Technology
|
| Symposium
|
Next Generation Biomaterials
|
| Presentation Title |
Electrical Stimulation of Orthopedic Implants for Next Generation Infection Control |
| Author(s) |
Mark Ehrensberger |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Mark Ehrensberger |
| Abstract Scope |
Implant-associated infection following orthopedic intervention is a devastating complication and remains a clinical challenge. One of the primary mechanisms by which bacteria resist decontamination and persist on implants is through the formation of biofilms. Bacteria in biofilms can be highly resistant to antibiotics and necessitate that new strategies be developed for the eradication and prevention of these difficult to treat infections. This talk will introduce a new approach to orthopedic infection control in which the metallic implant is utilized as an electrode to deliver localized cathodic voltage-controlled electrical stimulation (CVCES) as an antimicrobial therapy. A summary of in vitro and in vivo experiments will be presented which highlight the potential utility of CVCES for infection prevention and as a primary, or adjunctive, treatment for implant-associated biofilm infections. In addition, results from experimentally validated computational modelling of the electrochemical modifications of the microenvironment adjacent to the stimulated implant will be presented. |