The Development of a Unique Manufacturing Device to Produce a "String-Of-Pearls" Antibiotic Delivery Device for Massive Soft Tissue Defects

Trauma victims suffering massive soft tissue wounds are at increased risk for infection. This is typically addressed by placing antibiotic impregnated bone cement into the tissue defect to provide a massive prophylaxis directly to the affected site. The cement–antibiotic mixture is typically "pasted" onto a length of suture by the surgeon. Unfortunately, this process is sometimes difficult to perform in the operating room environment due to difficulty in localizing the mixture on the suture. In addition, the surgeon must perform the process within a relatively short time constraint as the mixture hardens. In the current study we address this issue by proposing a unique molding design which is lightweight, cost effective, disposable, and suitable for use in the operating room environment.