Contact killing antimicrobial acrylic bone cements: preparation and characterization

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Medical Microbiology

Background:

• Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) bone cement is widely used in orthopedic surgery.
• Bacterial infections are a significant complication following bone cement implantation.
• There is a need for PMMA bone cements with enhanced antimicrobial properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize novel antimicrobial PMMA-based bone cement.
• To evaluate the effect of quaternary amine dimethacrylate (QADMA) on the properties and antibacterial activity of PMMA bone cement.
• To compare the antimicrobial efficacy of QADMA-modified PMMA with NVP-iodine modified PMMA.

Main Methods:

• Free radical bulk polymerization of PMMA/MMA with varying QADMA percentages.
• Characterization using FT-IR, 1H-NMR, TGA, DSC, and contact angle measurements.
• Antibacterial activity assessment against E. coli and S. aureus via zone of inhibition, colony count, and SEM.

Main Results:

• Increased QADMA content decreased peak exothermic temperature and increased setting time.
• QADMA-containing bone cement exhibited broad-spectrum contact killing antimicrobial properties.
• 15% QADMA modification completely prevented E. coli retention, unlike standard PMMA or NVP-iodine PMMA.

Conclusions:

• QADMA is a promising additive for developing antimicrobial PMMA bone cements.
• The modified PMMA bone cement shows significant potential in preventing implant-associated bacterial infections.
• Further research could explore QADMA's efficacy against a wider range of pathogens and its long-term performance.