Bioabsorbable substrates and systems that controllably release antimicrobial metal ions

An apparatus that galvanically releases antimicrobial ions, the apparatus comprising:

• a substrate;
• and
• a coating on the substrate comprising zinc and silver and a cathodic metal that are all co-deposited onto the substrate, wherein the zinc and silver are at least about 30 percent by volume of the coating and form a non-uniform mixture of the zinc and the cathodic metal and a non-uniform mixture of the silver and the cathodic metal, wherein the coating comprises a plurality of microregions or microdomains of zinc and silver in a matrix of cathodic metal or a plurality of microregions or microdomains of cathodic metal in a matrix of zinc and a matrix of silver, the microregions or microdomains forming a continuous path of interconnected veins of zinc and silver within the matrix of cathodic metal or a continuous path of interconnected veins of cathodic metal within the matrix of zinc and the matrix of silver, wherein the continuous paths extend from an outer surface of the substrate;
• further wherein the zinc and silver are galvanically released as antimicrobial ions when the apparatus is inserted into a subject's body.

A bioabsorbable apparatus that galvanically releases antimicrobial ions, the apparatus comprising:

• an implant having an outer surface comprising a substrate;
• and
• a coating on the substrate comprising an anodic metal that is co-deposited with a cathodic metal on the substrate to form a non-uniform mixture of the anodic and cathodic metals, wherein the coating comprises a plurality of microregions or microdomains of anodic metal in a matrix of cathodic metal or a plurality of microregions or microdomains of cathodic metal in a matrix of anodic metal, the microregions or microdomains forming continuous paths of interconnected veins of anodic metal within the matrix of cathodic metal or continuous paths interconnected veins of cathodic metal within the matrix of anodic metal, wherein the continuous paths extend from an outer surface of the coating to the substrate;
• further wherein the anodic metal is galvanically released as antimicrobial ions when the apparatus is inserted into a subject's body.