Abstract
An infection of the locomotive apparatus presents a serious problem in orthopaedics and traumatology due to its typical course with recidivisms and frequent development of bacterial resistance. The eradication of bacterial agents causing infections of the locomotive apparatus is not necessarily reliable.
One of the ways to increase the therapeutic potential is the local application of antibiotics. This study demonstrates the properties of selected carriers from the point of view of both the material composition and the elution characteristics of various antibiotics based on the sources available in the literature.
The most widespread local carrier of antibiotics is bone cement which is used mainly to resolve infections of alloplasties by two-stage reimplantation. Unlike in newer, biodegradable carriers, however, its subsequent extraction is necessary.
The best properties from the point of view of criteria suitable for the local carrier of antibiotics in orthopaedics and traumatology are those of carriers composed of several sorts of materials, so-called composites.