Experimental study of a bacterial adhesion to titanium plates used for osteosynthesis of facial bones

Abstract

The adhesion ability of microorganisms to the surface of titanium miniplates and screws is one of factors in the development of purulent-inflammatory complications in the postoperative period. One of the solutions to this problem is the use of an ion-plasma coating of mini-plates and screws. The aim of the study was to prove a decrease adhesion level of pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic bacterium to samples of titanium mini-plates with ion-plasma coating, compared with samples without coating. Present opinion about microbial adhesion, how the most important stage of development microbial colonization of abiotic surfaces, was been basis of this study. The strains of aerobic and facultative anaerobic pathogens, as well as the non-spore-forming (non-clostridial) obligate-anaerobic pathogens were used in the research. During the experiments the standard method for determining residual adhesion was applied. The data obtained were processed by the «Biostat 9.0» software package. For the data received by the methods of variational parametric and nonparametric statistics we used the Mann-Whitney test, taking into account the average value, error, and the number of observations (significance of differences at p<0.05). As a result, the differences between the indices residual adhesion of strains aerobic and facultative anaerobic pathogens on the samples with and without a protective coating were statistically reliable, however, the adhesion of the individual species varied. The same differences between the indices residual adhesion were obtained among the strains of obligate anaerobic pathogens. The low level of adhesion, which was observed in the case of using the protective coating, is a very promising way of development, since these microorganisms are dangerous as the may lead to the development of purulent-inflammatory complications and the rejection of implants. The decreased level of adhesion is a factor which reduces the microbial load during the postoperative period.