Aims. Tantalum (Ta) trabecular metal components are increasingly used
to reconstruct major bone defects in revision arthroplasty surgery.
It is known that some metals such as silver have antibacterial properties.
Recent reports have raised the question regarding whether Ta components
are protective against infection in revision surgery. This laboratory
study aimed to establish whether Ta has intrinsic antibacterial
properties against planktonic bacteria, or the ability to inhibit
biofilm formation. Materials and Methods. Equal-sized pieces of Ta and titanium (Ti) acetabular components
were sterilised and incubated with a low dose inoculum of either Staphylococcus
(S.) aureus or S. epidermidis for 24 hours.
After serial dilution, colony forming units (cfu) were quantified
on Mueller-Hinton agar plates. In order to establish whether biofilms
formed to a greater extent on one material than the other, these
Ta and Ti pieces were then washed twice, sonicated and washed again
to remove loosely adhered planktonic bacteria. They were then re-incubated
for 24 hours prior to quantifying the number of cfu. All experiments
were performed in triplicate. Results. More than 1x10. 8. cfu/ml were observed in both the Ta
and Ti experiments. After washing and sonication, more than 2x10. 7. cfu/ml
were observed for both Ta and Ti groups. The results were the same
for both S. aureus and S. epidermidis. Conclusion. Compared with Ti controls, Ta did not demonstrate any intrinsic
antibacterial activity or ability to inhibit biofilm formation.
Hence, intrinsic
