Antibacterial drug release from a biphasic gel system: Mathematical modelling

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Orthopaedic Surgery

Background:

• Bacterial infections are a significant complication in orthopaedics, often necessitating implant removal.
• Current treatments for implant-associated infections are limited and can be invasive.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a mathematical model for a biphasic antibacterial delivery system for orthopaedic implants.
• To optimize the design of local antibiotic delivery systems for improved treatment efficacy.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a biphasic system using Poloxamer 407 gel and PLGA micro-particles loaded with vancomycin hydrochloride.
• Development of a mathematical model to simulate drug diffusion within micro-particles and the gel matrix.
• Experimental validation of the model by fitting to drug release data.

Main Results:

• The developed mathematical model accurately predicts drug release kinetics from the biphasic system.
• The model successfully discriminates drug diffusion within the PLGA micro-particles and the Poloxamer gel.
• The system demonstrates potential for tunable, localized antibiotic delivery.

Conclusions:

• The biphasic thermo-reversible gel system offers a promising approach for local antibacterial drug delivery in orthopaedics.
• The validated mathematical model serves as a powerful tool for designing and optimizing such in situ delivery systems.
• This strategy could reduce the need for implant removal in cases of infection.