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Bacterial adherence to synthetic vascular prostheses and influence of human plasma. An in vitro study

Z Zdanowski1, E Ribbe, C Schalén

  • 1Department of Surgery, Lund University, Sweden.

Insights

Bacterial adherence to vascular grafts varied by material and plasma coating. Untreated Dacron showed higher adherence, while plasma precoating altered adherence differently across graft types, notably increasing it on PTFE.

Area of Science:

  • Biomaterials Science
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Vascular Surgery

Background:

  • Prosthetic vascular grafts are susceptible to bacterial colonization, a major cause of graft infection.
  • Understanding bacterial adherence to different graft materials is crucial for preventing complications.
  • The effect of plasma precoating on bacterial adhesion to vascular grafts requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the in vitro adherence of key bacterial species to various prosthetic vascular graft materials.
  • To evaluate the influence of human plasma precoating on bacterial adherence to these graft materials.

Main Methods:

  • Radiolabeling of Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Escherichia coli with S35-methionine.
  • Exposure of five commercial vascular graft materials (Dacron, gelatin-coated Dacron, collagen-coated Dacron, PTFE) to bacterial suspensions.
  • Measurement of bacterial adherence after incubation and washing using phosphate-buffered saline (PBS).

Main Results:

  • Higher adherence of all three bacterial species to untreated Dacron compared to gelatin/collagen-coated Dacron or PTFE.
  • Plasma precoating reduced bacterial adherence to woven Dacron.
  • Plasma precoating increased bacterial adherence to collagen-treated Dacron and particularly to PTFE.

Conclusions:

  • Vascular graft material composition significantly impacts bacterial adherence.
  • Human plasma precoating has a variable effect on bacterial adherence, potentially increasing risk with certain materials like PTFE.
  • These findings have implications for strategies aimed at reducing prosthetic vascular graft infections.

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