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Biocompatibility analysis of an electrically-activated silver-based antibacterial surface system for medical device applications

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Abstract

The costs associated with the treatment of medical device and surgical site infections are a major cause of concern in the global healthcare system. To prevent transmission of such infections, a prophylactic surface system that provides protracted release of antibacterial silver ions using low intensity direct electric current (LIDC; 28 μA system current at 6 V) activation has been recently developed. To ensure the safety for future in vivo studies and potential clinical applications, this study assessed the biocompatibility of the LIDC-activated interdigitated silver electrodes-based surface system; in vitro toxicity to human epidermal keratinocytes, human dermal fibroblasts, and normal human osteoblasts, and antibacterial efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was evaluated. The study concluded that the technological applications of the surface system for medical devices and surgical tools, which contact human tissues for less than 1.5 h, are expected to be self-sterilizing without causing toxicity in vivo.

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Acknowledgments

The cytotoxicity evaluation experiments were supported by a research Grant from ArgentumCidalElectrics, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA. The antimicrobial efficacy testing experiments were supported by a research Grant from North Carolina State University’s Research and Innovation Seeding Funding (RISF) Program.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Chemical Toxicology Research and Pharmacokinetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA

    Meghan E. Samberg & Nancy A. Monteiro-Riviere

  2. Edward P. Fitts Department of Industrial Systems and Engineering, 400 Daniels Hall, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA

    Meghan E. Samberg, Zhuo Tan & Rohan A. Shirwaiker

  3. Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27607, USA

    Paul E. Orndorff

  4. Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA

    Meghan E. Samberg, Nancy A. Monteiro-Riviere & Rohan A. Shirwaiker

  5. Extremity Trauma Research/Regenerative Medicine, United States Army Institute of Surgical Research, 3698 Chambers Pass, Bldg 3611-BHT1, Fort Sam Houston, TX, 78234-6315, USA

    Meghan E. Samberg

  6. Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA

    Nancy A. Monteiro-Riviere

Authors
  1. Meghan E. Samberg
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  2. Zhuo Tan
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  3. Nancy A. Monteiro-Riviere
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  4. Paul E. Orndorff
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  5. Rohan A. Shirwaiker
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rohan A. Shirwaiker.

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Samberg, M.E., Tan, Z., Monteiro-Riviere, N.A. et al. Biocompatibility analysis of an electrically-activated silver-based antibacterial surface system for medical device applications. J Mater Sci: Mater Med 24, 755–760 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10856-012-4838-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10856-012-4838-5

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