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Does vitamin E-blended UHMWPE prevent biofilm formation?
Dustin L Williams1, John Vinciguerra, Julia M Lerdahl
1Bone and Joint Research Laboratory 151F, George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs, 500 Foothill Drive, Salt Lake City, UT, 84148, USA, roy.bloebaum@hsc.utah.edu.
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research
|May 17, 2014
Summary
Vitamin E-blended UHMWPE did not prevent biofilm formation by MRSA in a physiologically relevant model. These findings suggest vitamin E may not be effective in reducing periprosthetic joint infections.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Infectious Diseases
- Orthopedic Surgery
Background:
- Biofilm-related periprosthetic infections pose significant challenges in joint arthroplasty.
- Vitamin E is hypothesized to reduce biofilm formation on ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE).
- Previous studies used stagnant solutions, potentially not reflecting physiological conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of vitamin E-blended UHMWPE in resisting biofilm formation by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
- To compare vitamin E-UHMWPE with other materials: highly crosslinked UHMWPE, compression-molded UHMWPE, and polyetheretherketone (PEEK).
- To assess the influence of material surface roughness on biofilm formation.
Main Methods:
- A flow cell system was used to simulate physiological conditions over 48 hours.
- Samples of different UHMWPE formulations and PEEK were exposed to an MRSA solution.
- Bacterial adhesion was quantified, biofilm formation was visualized using scanning electron microscopy, and surface roughness was measured via optical profilometry.
Main Results:
- Vitamin E-blended UHMWPE did not significantly reduce MRSA biofilm formation compared to non-vitamin E materials.
- Biofilm levels were similar across tested materials (approximately 8 log10 CFUs/cm(2)).
- Surface roughness of the materials did not appear to influence biofilm formation.
Conclusions:
- Vitamin E-blended UHMWPE does not inhibit MRSA biofilm formation under physiologically relevant flow conditions.
- The addition of vitamin E to UHMWPE may not be effective in mitigating biofilm-related periprosthetic infections in total joint arthroplasty.
