The objective of this project is to combine the wound closure capability of suture materials with antimicrobial agents so that the new wound closure biomaterials would not only close wound but also reduce or eliminate wound infection. The local delivery of antimicrobial agents directly at the wound site during wound closure is expected to be more efficient than oral administration.

We have used silver-coated suture materials along with a very weak direct electrical current to argument the antimicrobial effect of the suture materials. This electrically conductive silver-coated suture was evaluated qualitatively and quanitatively against several microorganisms, S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae, S. dysenteriae, S. maruslene, and P. mirabilis. The biocompatibility of this antimicrobial sutures were also studied in animals. Our findings suggest that weak direct current could argument the antimicrobial property of silver-coated sutures and they are as biocompatible as the corresponding commercial sutures in rats.

C. C. Chu, W.C. Tsai, J.Y. Yao and Sindy B.L. Sheen, "Newly-Made Antibacterial Braided Nylon Sutures I. In-Vitro Qualitative and In Vivo Preliminary Biocompatibility Study," J. Biomed. Mater. Res., 21(11): 1281-1300 (1987).

W.C. Tsai, C.C. Chu, Sindy B.L. Sheen and J.Y. Yao, "Newly-Made Antibacterial Braided Nylon Sutures. II. In Vitro Quantitative Study," Surg. Gynecol. and Obstet., 165: 207-211 (1987). Also In: Surgical Research - Recent Developments, C. William Hall (Editor), Pergamon Press, New York, pp. 80 (1985).

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