Fabrication of implant materials with antimicrobial properties

Bone infections after orthopaedic surgery especially implant releated osteomyelitis still one of the most important problem of Orthopaedics and Traumatology. Several techniques and methods have been developed to prevent infection but none have proved to be successful.In this study, 316L stainless steel external fixator pins and Ti6Al4V intramedullary pins were electrospray coated by Ag+ doped calcium phosphate based ceramic powder to prevent local infections. Coated samples were sintered by using RF sintering. Surface characteristic of coated samples were investigated by Scanning Elektron Microscopy (SEM) and metal ion content of coatings were determined by Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDX) and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). Mechanical properties of coatings were investigated by using sctracth test method. Antimicrobial efficieny of metallic implants coated with Ag+ ion doped calcium phosphate based ceramic powder via in vivo tests. Implants were implanted to rabbits. After several weeks of implantation, rabbits were euthanized, lateral rontgenous were taken of medullar canal and implant smear, bone and implant were microbiologically and histologically analyzed.