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has announced the Australian launch of 鈥� a surgical wash that combats post-surgical infections and helps to address antibiotic resistance.

Surgical-site infections (SSI) are the leading cause of readmissions to hospitals, presenting major costs and burdens to patients and the healthcare system. Infections are a common complication of frequent procedures such as prosthetic joint replacements¹ (approximately 100,000 Australians underwent joint replacement in 2018)² and involve the formation of harmful biofilm at the surgical site. Biofilms make bacteria stronger and resistant to mechanical and chemical attack,³ including a higher tolerance to antimicrobial agents such as antibiotics.

Biofilm-based infectious diseases represent up to 80% of all infectious diseases.⁴

Infection after joint replacement surgery is usually of bacterial origin. Common infectious organisms include Staphylococcus aureus, streptococci, especially Streptococcus pyogenes, Enterococcus faecalis and Corynebacteria species⁵ and can severely impact a patient鈥檚 quality of life.

Bactisure is a surgical wash used to flush out surgical cavities, eliminating the biofilm and planktonic bacteria, viruses or fungi that can cause infection.⁶ A recent clinical trial demonstrated that 90% of patients with a known infection in the surgical cavity needed no further treatment after a 90-day observation period following site treatment with the Bactisure lavage.⁷

Next Science Managing Director Judith Mitchell said, 鈥淥ur surgical wash has the potential to improve the state of post-surgery recovery in Australia by reducing the long-term effects of surgical infection that patients often experience at present, which can be painful, expensive and debilitating.

鈥淧ost-surgical infections can cost patients tens of thousands of dollars in further treatment costs, not to mention extending the length of the healing process. We expect access to this surgical wash will be highly beneficial for post-surgical patient outcomes in Australia,鈥� she said.

Biofilm can establish within just five hours and mature within ten, making rapid and effective treatment essential. Wounds that become colonised with biofilm often do not show acute signs of infection but, once formed, the biofilm begins to damage the tissue through inflammation and microbial factors.⁸ Bactisure inhibits established biofilms to eliminate both types of wound pathogen bacteria: gram-positive and gram-negative.⁸

Dr Matthew Regulski DPM (Consultant to Next Science, Surgeon, and Director Wound Institute Ocean County, New Jersey, United States) believes that better treatment options are critical to counteract the continuing rise of antimicrobial resistance and address biofilm-associated infections.

鈥淎n infection after a joint replacement involves considerable physical, emotional and financial burden for the patient,鈥� Dr Regulski said.

鈥淎ccess to this surgical wash can help reduce these burdens for patients and the broader healthcare system.

鈥淒ue to the proprietary technology and blend of Next Science鈥檚 surgical lavage, there鈥檚 no way for bacteria, fungus or virus to generate resistance mechanisms to it. Australian surgeons now have access to a safe and effective technology to help eliminate surgical site infections without adding to antimicrobial resistance,鈥� Dr Regulski concluded.

The Next Science surgical wash is TGA-approved in Australia and is indicated for cleansing and removal of debris, including microorganisms, from wounds and is now available for surgeons in Australia.

1. Gutowski, C. J., et al. The Incidence and Socioeconomic Impact of Periprosthetic Joint Infection: United States Perspective. Kendoff, D. et al. (eds). Periprosthetic Joint Infections: Changing Paradigms. Springer International Publishing Switzerland, 2016
2. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/phe/232/osteoarthritis/contents/treatment-management
3. Osmon, D. R., et al. Prosthetic Joint Infections. In Cierny III, G. et al. (eds). Orthopaedic Knowledge Update. Musculoskeletal Infection. AAOS, 2009
4. Hunter, C., Duncan, S (2019). Clinical Effectiveness of a Biofilm Disrupting Surgical Lavage in Reducing Bacterial Contamination in Total Knee Arthroplasty Revision Surgery in Known Cases of Prosthetic Joint Infection.]
5. Geipel U. Pathogenic organisms in hip joint infections. Int J Med Sci. 2009;6(5):234-240.
6. Dr. Garth James, Montana State University Center for Biofilm Education; Next Science report TR-02-14-025.
7. Hunter, C., Duncan, S (2019). Clinical Effectiveness of a Biofilm Disrupting Surgical Lavage in Reducing Bacterial Contamination in Total Knee Arthroplasty Revision Surgery in Known Cases of Prosthetic Joint Infection
8. Miller, K. G., et al. Next Science Wound Gel Technology, a novel Agent that inhibits biofilm development by gram-positive and gram-negative wound pathogens.

Image credit: 漏stock.adobe.com/au/s_l