The Hydroxyapatite Coating Containing Silver Inhibits the Biofilm Formation in a Flow Condition for Two Weeks

ProblemsBiofilm infections are increasingly associated with orthopedic implants. Bacteria form biofilms on the surfaces of orthopedic devices. The biofilm is considered to be a common cause of persistent infections at a surgical site. The growth and the maturation of biofilm are enhanced by the flow of broth in culture environment. In order to reduce the incidence of implant-associated infections, we developed a novel coating technology of hydroxyapatite (HA) containing silver (Ag). We previously reported that the Ag-HA coating inhibits biofilm formation under flow condition of Trypto Soy Broth + 0.25% glucose for 7 days. In this study, we evaluated whether the Ag-HA coating continuously inhibits the biofilm formation on its surface under flow condition of fetal bovine serum, which contains many in vivo substrates such as proteins.Materials and MethodThe commercial pure titanium disks were used as substrates. Ag-HA or HA powder was sprayed onto the substrates using a flame spraying system. The HA coating ...