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. 2015 May 6:10:3367-75.
doi: 10.2147/IJN.S81518. eCollection 2015.

Photoactive TiO₂ antibacterial coating on surgical external fixation pins for clinical application

Guillaume Villatte  1 , Christophe Massard  2 , Stéphane Descamps  1 , Yves Sibaud  2 , Christiane Forestier  3 , Komla-Oscar Awitor  2
Affiliations

Photoactive TiO₂ antibacterial coating on surgical external fixation pins for clinical application

Guillaume Villatte et al. Int J Nanomedicine. .

Abstract

External fixation is a method of osteosynthesis currently used in traumatology and orthopedic surgery. Pin tract infection is a common problem in clinical practice. Infection occurs after bacterial colonization of the pin due to its contact with skin and the local environment. One way to prevent such local contamination is to create a specific coating that could be applied in the medical field. In this work, we developed a surface coating for external fixator pins based on the photocatalytic properties of titanium dioxide, producing a bactericidal effect with sufficient mechanical strength to be compatible with surgical use. The morphology and structure of the sol-gel coating layers were characterized using, respectively, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The resistance properties of the coating were investigated by mechanical testing. Photodegradation of acid orange 7 in aqueous solution was used as a probe to assess the photocatalytic activity of the titanium dioxide layers under ultraviolet irradiation. The bactericidal effect induced by the process was evaluated against two strains, ie, Staphylococcus aureus and multiresistant Staphylococcus epidermidis. The coated pins showed good mechanical strength and an efficient antibacterial effect after 1 hour of ultraviolet irradiation.

Keywords: antibacterial effect; external pin fixation; hybrid sol-gel; mechanical strength; titanium dioxide; ultraviolet photoactivity.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
X-ray diffraction patterns of TiO2 layers on quartz substrate. Notes: (A) As grown and (B) annealed at 500°C.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Field emission scanning electron micrographs of iron disk (A) and pin fixator (B).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Field emission scanning electron micrograph of a punctual scratch on a cover layer.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Field emission scanning electron micrograph showing the granular structure of the oxide layer at nanoscale.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Illustrations of the mechanical test performed. Notes: (A) Image of a unilateral fixator assembly performed on a cow femur. (B) Visualization of the insertion of the pin into the bone on a horizontal section.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Field emission scanning electron micrograph of the contact area between the grip and the coated pin.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Field emission scanning electron micrograph of the contact area between bone and the coated pin after explantation.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Photodegradation of AO7 solution in the presence of TiO2-coated disk versus UV irradiation time, as measured by the solution’s absorbance at λ =483 nm. Abbreviations: AO7, acid orange 7; AU, absorbance units; UV, ultraviolet.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Inactivation kinetics for the Staphylococcus aureus strain. Comparison between coated and uncoated samples submitted to the same UV treatment duration. Abbreviations: CFU, colony forming units; UV, ultraviolet.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Inactivation kinetics for the Staphylococcus epidermidis strain. Comparison between coated and uncoated samples subjected to the same UV treatment duration. Abbreviations: CFU, colony forming units; UV, ultraviolet.
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