Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 28, 2026

Antibiotic Dereplication Using the Antibiotic Resistance Platform
Published on: October 17, 2019
Salvage of rib stabilization hardware with antibiotic beads
Michelle S Junker1, Alex Kurjatko1, Matthew C Hernandez1
1Division of Trauma, Critical Care, and General Surgery, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Rochester, MN, United States.
Background:
Surgical stabilization of rib fractures (SSRF) can be used to improve pulmonary mechanics; however, hardware infection is a morbid complication. Antibiotic impregnated beads have been used to suppress infection in orthopedic practices. We aimed to determine the efficacy of antibiotic beads for infected and at-risk SSRF hardware.
Methods:
This is a single institution retrospective review of adults (18 years or older) that received SSRF between 2009 and 2017. Infected and at-risk hardware were managed with antibiotic beads. The primary outcome was bony union of rib fractures.
Results:
There were 285 SSRF patients. Infection rate was 3.5%. Antibiotic beads were placed in 17 patients - 9 for infected hardware and 8 for prophylaxis. Increased body mass index (p = 0.04) and hemorrhagic shock at admission (p = 0.03) were risk factors for infection. There was 100% bony union post-operatively.
Conclusion:
SSRF hardware infection is morbid. Antibiotic beads can salvage SSRF hardware until bony union.
Related Concept Videos
The Thoracic Cage: Ribs
Parts of a Typical Rib
A typical rib has a head, neck, and body. The posterior end of the rib is called the head, followed by a narrow neck. The head articulates primarily with the costal...
Antibiotic Selection
Nuclear Stability
To hold positively charged protons together...
RNA Stability
GIS Software, Hardware, and Sources of GIS Data
Stability
The stability of an LTI system is determined by the roots of its characteristic equation, known as poles. A system is stable if it produces a bounded...

