I-Corps: Drug delivery device for treatment of prosthetic joint infection

这个i-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发一种用于关节置换手术和创伤应用、脊柱感染以及脚踝和肩关节置换的药物输送系统。关节置换术是成功的，但偶尔会出现术后感染，就像其他骨科手术一样。这项拟议的技术将把抗生素输送到这些手术部位，以减少感染。这项技术将允许抗生素浓度在更长的时间内保持在较高水平，这可能会缩短治疗持续时间，目前患者没有髋关节或膝盖的时间长达数月。这个i-Corps项目基于开发一种药物输送系统来治疗术后关节感染(PJI)，包括关节成形术/目前治疗术后关节感染的治疗算法需要在手术的同时静脉注射抗生素，以清理该区域并在当地输送抗菌药。传统上，这包括通过使用骨水泥、聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯(PMMA)来输送抗菌剂。以这种方式提供的抗菌药达到最低抑菌浓度(MIC)；然而，导致持续性PJI的主要罪魁祸首往往是细菌生物被膜。充分治疗和根除与生物膜相关的感染的能力需要一个被称为最低细菌根除浓度(MBEC)的抗生素浓度，它的浓度是MIC的100-1000倍。目前的给药仅限于突发性洗脱模式，在MIC的持续时间有限，一旦手术完成，就不能修改。这项拟议的技术旨在改善药物递送，以允许更高水平的本地递送，根据文化结果的保证可能会增加或改变。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a drug delivery system for use in joint replacement surgery and in trauma applications, spine infections, and ankle and shoulder replacements. Joint replacements are successful but occasionally complicated by postoperative infections, as are other orthopaedic procedures. The proposed technology will deliver antibiotics to those surgical sites to reduce infections. The technology will allow antibiotic concentrations to be maintained at higher levels for longer periods of time, which may shorten treatment durations currently leaving patients without a hip or knee for months at a time.This I-Corps project is based on the development of a drug delivery system to treat post-operative joint infections (PJI) for conditions including joint arthroplasties/ The current treatment algorithm for the treatment of postoperative joint infections requires intravenous antibiotics along with surgery to debride the area and deliver antimicrobials locally. Traditionally, this includes the delivery of antimicrobials through the use of bone cement, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). Antimicrobials delivered in this fashion reach minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC); however, the primary culprit causing persistent PJI is often bacterial biofilm. The ability to adequately treat and eradicate biofilm-related infections requires an antibiotic concentration known as the minimum bacterial eradication concentration (MBEC), which is 100-1000 times greater in concentration than the MIC. Current drug delivery is limited to a burst elution pattern, with limited duration at the MIC and cannot be modified once surgery is complete. The proposed technology seeks to improve drug delivery to allow higher levels of local delivery that may be increased or changed as culture results warrant.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.