ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF MESH IMPLANTS MADE OF POLYPROPYLENE MODIFIED WITH SILVER NANOPARTICLES AND CARBON NANOTUBES
Authors: Viltsanyuk O. A. , Kravchenko V. M. , Osolodchenko T. P. , Rezanova V. G. 
Published: June 2024

Introduction. Surgery for abdominal hernias involves the use of polypropylene mesh implants. However, the number of complications associated with their use remains quite high, with purulent and inflammatory complications being the most severe. Therefore, the development of mesh implants with antimicrobial properties remains an urgent problem.
The aim of the study. To study the antimicrobial activity of the developed mesh implant made of polypropylene modified with silver nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes.
Materials and methods. The antimicrobial activity of the developed mesh was studied in comparison with the known polypropylene mesh with antimicrobial activity coated with a 1% solution of the antiseptic polyhexamethylene biguanidine chloride. The developed mesh was made of polypropylene monofilament with silver nanoparticles and three-layer carbon nanotubes. To evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the developed nets, the test strains of microorganisms S. aureus ATCC 25923, E. coli ATCC 25922, Ps. auеruginosae ATCC 27853, P. vulgaris ATCC 4636, B. subtillis ATCC 6633 and fungi Candida albicans ATCC 885/653 were used. The antimicrobial activity of the implants was studied by the agar diffusion method and the method of serial dilutions in dry conditions, in contact with the culture of microorganisms, after being in the tissues in the experiment, and the ability of microorganisms to adhere after contact with the implants. The data obtained were statistically processed and compared.
Results. The study showed that the antimicrobial activity of the developed mesh was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that of the prototype mesh. After 3 days of exposure to the prototype mesh, the number of microorganisms in the culture medium did not decrease and was at the level of 103–104 CFU/ml and was as follows: S.aureus ATCC 25923 to (4.2×103 ± 0.1×103) CFU/ml, Ps.aureginosae ATCC 27853 to (3.8×104 ± 0.1×104) CFU/ml, Candida albicans ATCC 885/653 to (6.1×104 ± 0.2×104) CFU/ml. Whereas, in the cultures from the culture medium after contact with the developed grid, for this observation period, the microorganisms S.aureus ATCC 25923 and Ps.aureginosae ATCC 27853 were not inoculated, and Candida albicans ATCC 885/653 were inoculated as single colonies. The study of the adhesive activity of microorganisms showed that after contact with the prototype grid, the adhesive activity of S. aureus ATCC 25923 decreased by 30%, E. coli ATCC 25922 by 21.7%, Ps. aueruginosae ATCC 27853 by 30.7%, Candida albicans ATCC 885/653 by 29.0%. Whereas, after contact with the developed mesh, the adhesive activity of S.aureus ATCC 25923 decreased by 60.0%, E.coli ATCC 51.4%, Ps.aueruginosae ATCC 27853 by 64.4%, Candida albicans by 50.0%. After staying in the tissues, the prototype mesh lost its antimicrobial activity by 3 days of observation. Whereas the antimicrobial activity of the developed mesh was preserved for up to 30 days during the experiment.
Conclusions 1. The developed mesh implant made of polypropylene modified with silver nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes has a long-term high antimicrobial activity that persisted in tissues for up to 30 days.

After the contact of microorganisms with the developed mesh implant, the adhesive activity of S.aureus ATCC 25923 decreased by 60.0%, E.coli ATCC — 51.4%, Ps.aueruginosae ATCC 27853 by 64.4%, Candida albicans by 50.0%, which indicates the possibility of influencing the colonization ability of microorganisms and the formation of biofilms on the implant.