Open Access

ARTICLE

A novel rabbit model for the evaluation of biomaterial associated urinary tract infection

Leo C.T. Fung¹, Marc W. Mittelman², Paul S. Thorner³, Antoine E. Khoury⁴

1 Department of Urologic Surgery, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
2 Principal, Mittelman & Associates, Braintree, MA, USA
3 Department of Pathology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
4 Department of Surgery, Division of Urology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Address correspondence to Dr. Leo C. T. Fung, Chief of Pediatric Urology, University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware St. SE, MMC 394, Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA

Canadian Journal of Urology 2003, 10(5), 2007-2012.

Abstract

Objectives: It was the objective of this study to establish an animal model which simulates the conditions of a biomaterial associated bacterial urinary tract infection.
Methods: The curled portion of polyurethane double pig-tail ureteric stents, pre-coated with P. aeruginosa, were inserted transurethrally into the bladder in eight rabbits. Eight control animals received sterile stent material. Microbiology studies of the stent, bladder tissue, and urine, as well as bladder histopathology were evaluated.
Results: P. aeruginosa was recovered from all stent, bladder, and urine specimens in the P. aeruginosa pre-coated stent group, and no P. aeruginosa was present in any of the control specimens (p=0.0002). The controls only developed minimal bladder inflammation, whereas the bladders of the P. aeruginosa pre-coated stent group were significantly more inflamed (p<0.01).
Conclusions: This rabbit model was easy to manipulate, low in maintenance requirements, and had pathophysiologically distinct end points, suitable for the assessment of biomaterial associated urinary tract infections.

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