Bacterial growth in saline implants: in vitro and in vivo ... oldie & goodie

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Title: Bacterial growth in saline implants: in vitro and in vivo

studies.

Author:; Chen NT; PE; Hooper DC;

Title Abreviation: Ann Plast Surg

Date of Pub: 1996 Apr

Issue/Part/Supplement: 4 Volume Issue:36

Pagination: 337-41

Abstract: The survival of bacteria was evaluated in custom-made

saline

breast implants with integral injection ports in vitro and in 10 New

Zealand White rabbits for Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus

epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Serratia marcescens.

Pseudomonas and Serratia survived in vitro in saline-filled implants

and multiplied 24-fold and 22-fold, respectively, from the initial

inocula of 300 colony-forming units per cubic centimeter in 21 days.

Serratia alone survived in saline implants placed on the dorsum of

rabbits, proliferated 80-fold in 7 days, and tapered to 10-fold at

the

end of 3 weeks. Chemical analysis revealed the presence of glucose

in

fluid from the implants in the animal study (mean, 1.2 mg per

deciliter; standard error of mean ÍSEMÍ, 0.6) after 21 days and from

human subjects (mean, 3.8 mg per deciliter; SEM, 1.0) after 8 months

to 10 years. Serratia incubated in human breast implant fluid

samples

proliferated 7-fold to 30-fold greater than in the saline control in

a

nonaerated environment. We conclude that some bacteria are able to

proliferate in saline in breast implants. Furthermore, their

survival

may be facilitated by a substance (i.e., glucose) that diffuses

across

the implant outer shell.

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