Cyclodextrin modified PLLA parietal reinforcement implant with prolonged antibacterial activity

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Surgical Innovation
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Mesh infection is a significant complication in hernia repair surgery, increasing patient recovery time and healthcare costs.
• Poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) is used in semi-resorbable implants, but lacks inherent antibacterial properties.
• Developing localized, sustained antibiotic release from implants can prevent mesh infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To functionalize a 100% PLLA knit with a cyclodextrin polymer (polyCD) to create a drug reservoir for prolonged ciprofloxacin release.
• To characterize the physical, biological, and drug release properties of the functionalized PLLA material.
• To evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of the developed implant against common bacterial strains.

Main Methods:

• Functionalization of PLLA knit with varying degrees of polyCD.
• Physical characterization using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC).
• Cell viability assays, mathematical modeling of drug-mesh interaction, in vitro drug release studies in PBS, and microbiological evaluations against E. coli and S. aureus.

Main Results:

• Successful functionalization of PLLA with polyCD improved drug sorption and release properties without compromising mechanical integrity.
• Degradation analysis confirmed the formation of non-cytotoxic residues (citrate, cyclodextrin, glucose units).
• The polyCD-functionalized PLLA demonstrated enhanced antibacterial performance against tested pathogens.

Conclusions:

• The polyCD-functionalized PLLA knit serves as an effective antibacterial implant material with controlled drug release capabilities.
• This approach offers a promising strategy to mitigate mesh infections in visceral surgery.
• The developed material maintains biodegradability and mechanical stability, suitable for surgical applications.