CARDIOVASCULAR ENGINEERING Journal for Extracorporeal Circulation, Assist Devices,Transplantation and Artificial Organs
	Volume 8, 2003, No 1-2

Keeping the Slime off the Table Preventing Infection of Artificial Devices
R. Saginur

Infections of artificial devices typically follow a chronic, progressive, relapsing-remitting course with partial response to antibiotic therapy. These infections are characterized by biofilms, which result in resistance to host immunity, chronic inflammation and refractoriness to antibiotics. Antibiotic prophylaxis in surgery, based on a different, older conceptual scheme, does not address bacterial attachment and biofilm formation. New materials, techniques and antimicrobials which address attachment and biofilms offer the promise of reduction in the incidence of infection of prosthesis.

Key words: infections of artificial devices, biofilms, antibiotic prophylaxis

Raphael Saginur, M.D.
Ottawa Hospital
Civic Campus
1053 Carling Avenue, Ottawa
Ontario K1Y 4E9
Canada
E-mail: rsaginur@ottawahospital.on.ca

PABST SCIENCE PUBLISHERS
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