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Updated: Feb 9, 2026

Introducing Shear Stress in the Study of Bacterial Adhesion
Published on: September 2, 2011
Infection Retardant Coatings Impact on Bacterial Presence in Penile Prosthesis Surgery: A Multicenter Study
Kavina Jani1, Christopher Smith2, John R Delk3
1ArkLaTex Urology, Bossier City, LA.
Objective:
To investigate patients for positive culture rates with or without infection retardant coatings (IRC) penile prostheses (PPs) and to examine changes in culture positive isolates found in patients presenting overt clinical infection.
Methods:
Cultures were obtained from PPs immediately upon surgical exposure of the pump. 236 patients were broken down into 2 groups, with each further divided into 2 groups. The noninfected group included 208 patients: 133 with uncoated PPs and 75 with IRC implants. The infected group included 28 patients: 16 with uncoated PP and 12 with IRC inflatable penile prostheses (IPP). Additionally, sensitivity to the combination of tetracycline and rifampin were evaluated on all cultures.
Results:
In the noninfected group, culture positive isolates were found in 85 patients with uncoated PP's and in 32 patients with IRC implants [P value = 0.0003]. Cultures positive for Staphylococcus genus were found in 75 uncoated PP patients, while 20 patients with IRC implants had an isolate of this genus. In the infected group, culture positive isolates were found in 7 patients with uncoated PP and 6 patients with IRC IPPs [P value = 1.000]. Positive cultures for Staphylococcus genus were found in 6 patients with uncoated PP, while 3 patients with IRC IPP had an isolate of this genus. All bacterial isolates were sensitive to the combination of tetracycline and rifampin.
Conclusion:
Positive bacterial cultures have been shown to be present on clinically uninfected IPPs at time of revision surgery. Culture isolates grown from patients with IRC IPPs reveal a nontraditional bacterial profile: fewer cultured isolates of Staphylococcus genus.
Insights
Infection retardant coatings (IRC) on penile prostheses (PPs) were associated with fewer positive bacterial cultures, particularly Staphylococcus, in noninfected patients undergoing revision surgery. IRC PPs showed a different bacterial profile in infected patients as well.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Infectious Diseases
- Biomaterials Science
Background:
- Penile prostheses (PPs) are used to treat erectile dysfunction.
- Infection is a significant complication following PP implantation.
- Infection retardant coatings (IRC) are designed to reduce the risk of PP infection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare positive culture rates in patients with and without IRC PPs.
- To analyze changes in bacterial isolates from PPs in patients with overt clinical infection.
- To evaluate the efficacy of IRC PPs in preventing bacterial colonization.
Main Methods:
- Cultures were obtained from PPs during surgical exposure in 236 patients.
- Patients were divided into noninfected (208) and infected (28) groups.
- Subgroups included those with uncoated PPs and IRC PPs; bacterial isolate sensitivity to tetracycline and rifampin was assessed.
Main Results:
- Noninfected patients with IRC PPs had significantly lower positive culture rates (32/75) compared to those with uncoated PPs (85/133) [P=0.0003].
- Staphylococcus genus isolates were less common in noninfected patients with IRC PPs (20/75) versus uncoated PPs (75/133).
- In infected patients, culture rates and Staphylococcus prevalence did not differ significantly between uncoated and IRC PPs.
Conclusions:
- Clinically uninfected PPs can harbor positive bacterial cultures during revision surgery.
- IRC PPs demonstrate a distinct bacterial profile, with a reduction in Staphylococcus genus isolates, even in the absence of overt infection.
- IRC PPs may alter the bacterial colonization patterns on penile prostheses.
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