Evaluation of silver-titanium implants activated by low intensity direct current for orthopedic infection control: An in vitro and in vivo study.

Silver is an alternative antimicrobial of interest for the prophylaxis of prosthetic infections and electrical activation is known to augment its oligodynamic efficacy. In this study, we evaluated the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of a silver (Ag)-titanium (Ti) implant activated by 30 µA direct current compared with three controls - passive Ag-Ti, active Ti-Ti, and passive Ti-Ti. We hypothesized that the experimental group would provide better resistance to pathogenic colonization on the implant.