Processing of Biodegradable Polymer Composites as a Drug Delivery System in Vitro

This report explores the alternative of processing biodegradable polymer-antibiotic composites as a long-term drug release. Polymer-antibiotic composite beads were manufactured by a compression-sintering technique. An elution method was employed to characterize the release rate of antibiotic over a 35-day period at 37°C. Biodegradable polymer composites released high concentrations of antibiotic (well above the breakpoint sensitivity concentration) in vitro for the period of time needed to treat bone infection; i.e. 4 to 6 weeks. By changing the processing variables, one is able to control the release rate of the beads. This provides advantages of meeting the specific antibiotic requirement for patients with various surgical infections.