A Reproducible Implant Infection Model in Rabbits

INTRODUCTION: Orthopaedic prostheses implantation is an invasive surgical procedure, with an increased risk for post-operative infections. Since the life span and quality of these implants is improving and more prostheses are implanted every year, the incidence of post-operative infections will increase. Most implants are based on titanium or nickel-chromemolybdenum alloys, while their overall biocompatibility is good, these materials do not posses antimicrobial properties. For the evaluation of novel antimicrobial implant coatings, in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo testing are essential to establish a reliable coating, suitable for orthopaedic implants. In this study a rabbit osteomyelitis model, reproducibly resembling clinical orthopaedic implant infections, is being developed. The model will be utilized for evaluating the efficacy of novel antimicrobial coatings on titanium substrates for orthopaedic implantation. We here report on a pilot study that evaluates surgical methods, imaging techniques and osteomyelitis outcome.