Orthopaedic implant infections are a substantial burden on healthcare systems. Current treatments include wound debridement and the use of antibiotics. In some cases, the treatment is not adequate, and the implant must be removed via revision surgery. These infections are particularly difficult to treat due to the rising occurrence of antimicrobial resistant bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeuginosa and the formation of bacterial biofilms on the surface of implants. Plasma functionalised liquids (PFLs) have been shown to have antibacterial and wound healing activities and could be used as treatment for these infections. This study aims to optimise a treatment for these infections.
This study used several plasma systems to generate PFLs. The reactive species in the liquids were then characterised using colorimetric methods and the liquids were used against several strains of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. This study found that liquids generated by the MiniMIP system had the highest antimicrobial activity against all the investigated strains. These results show that the generation conditions of PFLs affects the chemistry of the liquids. Antibiotic resistant strains were more resistant to PFL treatment than antibiotic susceptible strains of the same species.