Development of bacteriostatic central venous port using photobiomodulation: a comparative in vitro study

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Infectious Diseases
• Photomedicine

Background:

• Central venous (CV) infections are often caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
• Novel central venous ports (CVPs) utilizing light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for photobiomodulation (PBM) offer a potential preventative strategy.
• PBM involves exposing cells to low-intensity light to elicit therapeutic effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the in vitro efficacy of PBM with 680 nm red light in reducing MRSA growth.
• To evaluate the impact of varying irradiation durations on MRSA colony counts.

Main Methods:

• MRSA suspensions were irradiated with 680 nm red light for 7.5, 15, 30, or 60 minutes.
• Colony counts were determined post-incubation and compared between irradiated and control groups.
• Statistical analysis included Shapiro-wilk test, one-factor ANOVA, and Bonferroni's post-hoc test.

Main Results:

• Irradiation for 30 and 60 minutes significantly reduced MRSA colony counts compared to the control group.
• The 60-minute irradiation group showed a significant reduction compared to the control, 7.5-minute, and 15-minute groups.
• Significant differences were observed between control and 30/60-minute groups, and between 7.5/15-minute and 60-minute groups.

Conclusions:

• Photobiomodulation with 680 nm LEDs demonstrates significant inhibitory effects on MRSA growth in vitro.
• PBM applied to a central venous port shows promise for preventing central venous access port-blood stream infections.
• Further research into PBM applications for combating device-related infections is warranted.