RT Journal Article
T1 Antimicrobial 3D printed implants for periprosthetic joint infections
A1 Yuste, Iván
A1 Luciano, Francis C.
A1 Rodríguez Fernández, Carmina
A1 Ramirez, Bianca E.
A1 Rapti, Chrysi
A1 Anaya, Brayan J.
A1 Lalatsa, Aikaterini
A1 Ribed- Sanchez, Almudena
A1 Sanz Ruiz, Pablo
A1 González Burgos, Elena María
A1 Serrano López, Dolores Remedios
AB Periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) remain a serious complication following hip and knee arthroplasty, affecting 1–5% of patients in developed countries and posing significant challenges to patients, clinicians, and healthcare systems. Conventional prophylactic strategies, such as antibiotic-loaded bone cement, suffer from limited post-implantation drug release and potential compromise of mechanical integrity. To overcome these limitations, we developed a personalized, 3D-printed implant designed to integrate with the acetabular component of joint prostheses. These implants deliver either monotherapy or a combination of amphotericin B (AmB) and vancomycin (VAN), targeting both fungal and bacterial pathogens. Fabricated via fused deposition modeling using a biocompatible polyvinyl alcohol–polyethylene glycol (PVA–PEG) matrix, the implants enable passive drug loading and rapid adhesion to prosthetic surfaces within 60 s, minimizing operative time. In vitro testing confirmed broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against Candida spp. (C. albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. glabrata, C. krusei) and Staphylococcus spp. (S. aureus, S. epidermidis). VAN was released rapidly, while AmB exhibited sustained release for up to 10 h, with both maintaining saturation solubility for 48 h. Notably, AmB-loaded implants showed five-fold lower hemolytic toxicity compared to free drug. These results highlight the potential of 3D-printed, drug-eluting implants as a clinically viable solution for the prevention and early treatment of PJIs.
PB Springer
YR 2025
FD 2025
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/123221
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/123221
LA eng
NO Yuste, I., Luciano, F.C., Rodríguez, C. et al. Antimicrobial 3D printed implants for periprosthetic joint infections. Drug Deliv. and Transl. Res. (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13346-025-01934-5
NO 2025 Acuerdos transformativos CRUE. Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature. This study has been funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation– Agencia Estatal de Investigación (award PID2021-126310OA-I00) to Dolores Serrano. This study was supported by the Complutense University of Madrid Research Group 971089 (Innovation in Pharmacology, Nanotechnology, and Personalized Medicine by 3D Printing). This work has been partially funded by a 2025 grant from the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (Europäische Gesellschaft für klinische Mikrobiologie und Infektionskrankheiten) (ESCMID) to Dolores Serrano.
NO Agencia Estatal de Investigación (España)
NO Universidad Complutense de Madrid
NO European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
DS Docta Complutense
RD 24 dic 2025