In vitro adhesion of endogenous skin microorganisms to breast prostheses.

Bacterial proliferation on polymeric biomaterials varies with the material and microorganism. Subclinical infection is implicated frequently as the initiative factor in capsular contracture around breast prostheses. The ability of endogenous skin microorganisms to produce an exopolysaccharide "slime" is emerging as an important factor in biomaterial colonization. This study was designed to demonstrate the ability of microorganisms of varying slime productivity to colonize, in vitro, different kinds of breast prostheses. Six-millimeter disks from seven kinds of silicone prostheses and polyurethane foam were exposed to three radioactivity labeled strains of bacteria, one slime producer, and two non-slime producers, for 1 hour. Data were expressed as colony-forming units bound per disk. There was no significant difference in adherence between the bacterial strains used, suggesting that initial adherence was nonspecific. The adherence did not appear to be related to surface type, whether smooth or textured, nor to the polymeric composition of the implant material, whether silicone or polyurethane, nor to the presence or absence of slime. Also, adherence was consistent with expected nonspecific bacterial adherence to biomaterials.