Antibiotics

History

In the 1970s the surgeon Prof. H. W. Buchholz from Hamburg developed a technique of adding an antibiotic to bone cements for endoprosthesis surgery. The aim was to achieve an antibiotic depot effect in the bone and protect the implant against bacteria¹.

This prompted the development of industrially manufactured, antibiotic-containing bone cements. In this context gentamicin proved to be a good antibiotic for adding to bone cement; now there are different antibiotic-containing bone cement types (e.g.. PALACOS® R+G, COPAL®).

Use for prophylaxis to prevent joint infections after endoprosthesis implantation is now widely accepted and successful internationally: antibiotic-containing bone cements constitute effective prevention of septic complications in joint surgery, as has been confirmed in numerous clinical studies, e.g. the Swedish hip register².

Bibliography:
(1) Buchholz HW, Elson RA, Engelbrecht E, Lodenkamper H, Rottger J, Siegel A. Management of deep infection of total hip replacement. J Bone Joint Surg Br 1981; 63-B:342-353;
(2) Herberts P, Kärrholm J, Garellick G. Annual Report 2004: The Swedish National Hip Arthroplasty Register. In. Göteborg, Sweden: Department of Orthopaedics, Sahlgrenska University Hospital 2005.