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Published on: June 24, 2018
Biofilm formation on silicone tympanostomy tubes with polyvinylpyrrolidone coating
Patrick J Antonelli1, Edith M Sampson, Carolyn Ojano-Dirain
1Department of Otolaryngology, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32610-0264, USA. Patrick.Antonelli@ent.ufl.edu
Objective:
To determine whether biofilm formation on silicone tympanostomy tubes (TTs) is prevented by polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) coating.
Design:
In vitro microbiologic study.
Subjects:
Silicone TTs with and without a PVP coating.
Intervention:
The TTs were exposed to blood or phosphate-buffered saline and cultured with Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Staphylococcus aureus. After 4 days, antibiotics were added to kill planktonic bacteria. Biofilm formation was assessed by quantitative bacterial counts and scanning electron microscopy.
Results:
Human blood enhanced S aureus biofilm formation on TTs with and without PVP (P < .001). Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation was similar on TTs with and without PVP coating. Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation was less on TTs with PVP coating after exposure to phosphate-buffered saline (P = .04), but this difference was not significant after blood exposure (P = .19).
Conclusions:
Polyvinylpyrrolidone coating of TTs imparts resistance to P aeruginosa biofilm formation. The clinical impact of PVP on TTs may be attenuated by exposure to blood, but this will require study in clinical trials.
