Published in:
01-10-2014 | Original Article
Gentamicin for prevention of intraoperative mesh contamination: demonstration of high bactericide effect (in vitro) and low systemic bioavailability (in vivo)
Published in: Hernia | Issue 5/2014
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Introduction
Mesh infection is a severe complication after incisional hernia repair and occurs in 1–3 % of all open mesh implantations. For this reason, topical antimicrobial agent applied directly to the mesh is often used procedure. So far, however, this procedure lacks a scientific basis.
Materials and methods
Two different meshes (Parietex™, Covidien; Ultrapro™, Ethicon Johnson & Johnson) were incubated with increasing amounts of three different Staphylococcus aureus strains (ATCC 25923; Mu50; ST239) with or without gentamicin and growth ability were determined in vitro. To further address the question of the systemic impact of topic gentamicin, serum levels were analyzed 6 and 24 h after implantation of gentamicin-impregnated multifilament meshes in 19 patients.
Results
None of the gentamicin-impregnated meshes showed any bacterial growth in vitro. This effect was independent of the mesh type for all the tested S. aureus strains. In the clinical setting, serum gentamicin levels 6 h after implantation of the gentamicin-impregnated meshes were below the through-level (range 0.4–2.9 mg/l, mean 1.2 ± 0.7 mg/l). After 24 h the gentamicin serum levels in all patients had declined 90–65 % of the 6 h values.
Conclusion
Local application of gentamicin to meshes can completely prevent the growth of even gentamicin-resistant S. aureus strains in vitro. The systemic relevance of gentamicin in the clinical controls showed to be very low, without reaching therapeutic concentrations.