Antibiotic-impregnated bone cement: an in vitro comparative analysis

This manuscript examines the in vitro antibacterial activity of eight different antibiotics when mixed with polymethyl methacrylate. Two different parameters are presented as being important considerations in the choice of antibiotic. One parameter is the bacterial inhibition created by the direct contact of the antibiotic-impregnated bone cement. The second parameter is the bacterial inhibition produced by diffusion of antibiotic from the bone cement into the surrounding liquid medium. These two experimental models were created to establish the contiguous and remote antimicrobial effects of antibiotic-impregnated bone cement.