Elution characteristics of gentamicin-PMMA beads after implantation in humans.
Seventeen patients had gentamicin-PMMA beads implanted for treatment of orthopedic infections. The authors found that beads implanted in patients for 3 to 36 weeks were capable of eluting high levels of antibiotic after retrieval. Beads that were implanted in patients for less than 10 weeks eluted significantly higher antibiotic levels than beads were implanted for more than 14 weeks. This study supports the local use of these beads in the treatment of musculoskeletal infections.