Effect of ion-bombarded silicone tympanostomy tube on ciprofloxacin-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation.

OBJECTIVES: Many materials and surface preparations have been developed to resist the formation of biofilm. Ion-bombarded silicone tympanostomy tube was introduced to resist both staphylococcal and pseudomonal biofilm formation. To date, there are no reports that have evaluated the use of ion-bombarded tympanostomy tubes against the ciprofloxacin-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA) biofilm formation. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the ion-bombarded tympanostomy tube for CRPA biofilm resistance.

METHODS: Commercial ion-bombarded tympanostomy tubes and simple silicone tympanostomy tubes were processed for an evaluation of the CRPA biofilm formation in vitro.

RESULTS: The ion-bombarded tubes showed no resistance to CRPA adhesion and biofilm formation. Thick and dense conglomeration was less formed in the ion-bombarded tympanostomy tubes, compared to that of the simple silicone tube.

CONCLUSION: The preventive effect against the CRPA biofilm formation of the ion-bombarded silicone tympanostomy tube was not observed. Our result suggests that only the surface modification by an ion bombardment is not enough to resist CRPA biofilm formation.