Ciprofloxacin attachment to porous-coated titanium surfaces

A simple and effective method for attaching ciprofloxacin HCl salt to the surface of porous-coated titanium based orthopedic materials was developed. The method utilizes the electrophoretic migration of both fine ciprofloxacin HCl particles and ciprofloxacin ions to deposit the antibiotic salt on a positively biased surface. The quantity of antibiotic deposited can be easily and effectively controlled by varying the time of deposition and applied voltage. In vitro tests have indicated that the antimicrobial activity of the treated surfaces is retained for a period of 5 days. The method allows a significant amount of antibiotic to be deposited and could theoretically be used to deliver antibiotics to the tissues surrounding prosthetic devices in order to prevent postoperative infections.