Vancomycin-loaded nano-hydroxyapatite pellets to treat MRSA-induced chronic osteomyelitis with bone defect in rabbits

• DOI: 10.1007/s00011-011-0402-x
• Publication Date: 2011-12-10T01:20:54Z
• Authors: Ji-Le Jiang; Yun-Fei Li; Tao-Lin Fang; Jian Zhou; Xi-Lei Li; Yi-Chao Wang; Jian Dong
• Keywords: Drug Implants; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus; 0301 basic medicine; Drug Carriers; Tibia; Osteomyelitis; Staphylococcal Infections; Bacterial Load; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Nanostructures; 3. Good health; Radiography; Disease Models, Animal; 03 medical and health sciences; Durapatite; Vancomycin; Animals; Rabbits

To investigate nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA) pellets as carriers for vancomycin in the treatment of chronic osteomyelitis and bone defects due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains.Chronic osteomyelitis was induced in 45 New Zealand white rabbits. After 3 weeks (chronic infection), all animals were treated with debridement. The rabbits were divided into an experimental group (the bone was filled with vancomycin-loaded nHA pellets), a control group (the bone was filled with nHA pellets alone), and a blank group. The drug release profiles were determined in vitro and in vivo. X-rays, bone specimens, and microorganism cultures were used to evaluate the efficacy of the treatments.Following a rapid initial release into the circulation, the drug concentration remained effective in the osseous and soft tissues for 12 weeks after debridement. Within 3 months, all rabbits in the experimental group recovered from osteomyelitis without a recurrence of the infection and the bone defects were partially repaired, whereas the infection and bone defects persisted in the control and blank groups.The results demonstrate that vancomycin-loaded nHA pellets successfully repair bone defects and control infection in MRSA-induced chronic osteomyelitis. In addition, nHA is an effective and safe controlled-release vancomycin carrier for chronic osteomyelitis with bone defects that is induced by MRSA.