A rapid, flexible method for incorporating controlled antibiotic release into porous polymethylmethacrylate space maintainers for craniofacial reconstruction

摘要: Severe injuries in the craniofacial complex, resulting from trauma or pathology, present several challenges to functional and aesthetic reconstruction. The anatomy position of region make it vulnerable injury subsequent local infection due external bacteria as well those neighbouring structures like sinuses, nasal passages, mouth. Porous polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) “space maintainers” have proven useful staged reconstruction by promoting healing overlying soft tissue prior bones. We describe herein a method which porosity prefabricated porous PMMA space maintainer, generated porogen leaching, can be loaded with thermogelling copolymer-based drug delivery system. Porogen maintainer prewetting, thermogel loading all significantly affected model antibiotic, colistin. Weeks-long release antibiotic at clinically relevant levels was achieved formulations. In vitro assays confirmed that released colistin maintained its activity against bacterial targets. Our results suggest this is valuable tool development novel therapeutic approaches for treatment severe infected injuries.