Application of the quinolone antibiotic ciprofloxacin to Dacron utilizing textile dyeing technology

Prosthetic arterial graft infection continues to be a significant and often devastating complication of vascular surgery. The organisms Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis) are the primary pathogens causing acute and late graft infections, respectively. The objective of this study was to develop an infection-resistant prosthetic arterial graft by applying the bacteriocidal quinolone antibiotic ciprofloxacin to polyethylene terepthalate (Dacron) via thermofixation (pad/heat), a new application method founded on established textile procedures. We hypothesize that the limited fibrophilic characteristics of ciprofloxacin will permit binding to Dacron and at the same time allow persistent controlled release over an extended period of time. Using pad/heat technology, 33 micrograms (+/- 2.97 micrograms, n = 12) of ciprofloxacin was successfully bound to a 1-cm2 piece of woven Dacron. A full complement of microbiologic assays demonstrated superior, sustained antistaphylococcal activity of the pad/heat Dacron when compared to Dacron dipped into an equivalent concentration of ciprofloxacin. The sustained antimicrobial efficacy of ciprofloxacin pad/heat-treated Dacron opens new avenues in the development of infection-resistant biomaterials based on an understanding of textile chemistry.