Bacterial Biofilms in Reconstructive Breast Prostheses Following Mastectomy
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2018-09-26
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Breast implants, either cosmetic or reconstructive, are among the most common procedures
performed by plastic surgeons. Bacterial infections or biofilms are implicated in the
majority of breast implant complications including infection requiring explantation, capsular
contracture (CC), and/or breast-implant associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL).
The research team, which has already extensively characterized bacterial pathogenesis in the
urinary tract and designed non-antibiotic therapeutics to reduce the incidence of
catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), and proposal will study
bacteria-breast implant interactions and explore further the impact of the breast microbiome.
The proposed research provides a greater understanding of which bacteria can colonize breast
implants, their source, and how effective antibiotic pocket irrigation is at eliminating
them, and begins to examine the mechanisms by which bacteria bind and colonize the implant
surface. These insights will set the groundwork for developing new therapeutic agents that
can disrupt the binding of certain bacteria to breast implants. Strategies that minimize
problems bacteria can cause, while avoiding antibiotics, will reduce bacteria-related implant
complications, limit antibiotic-related side effects, and reduce bacterial resistance.