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Bioabsorbable substrates having antimicrobial metal ion coatings that are well suited for implantation in to a subject's body to treat and/or prevent infection. In particular, described herein are flexible bioabsorbable filaments that are coated with an anodic metal (e.g., silver and/or zinc and/or

Bioabsorbable substrates having antimicrobial metal ion coatings that are well suited for implantation in to a subject's body to treat and/or prevent infection. In particular, described herein are flexible bioabsorbable filaments that are coated with an anodic metal (e.g., silver and/or zinc and/or copper) that is co-deposited with a cathodic metal (e.g., palladium, platinum, gold, molybdenum, titanium, iridium, osmium, niobium or rhenium) on the filament so that the anodic metal is galvanically released as antimicrobial ions when the apparatus is inserted into a subject's body. The anodic metal may be at least about 30 percent by volume of the coating.

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1. A bioabsorbable apparatus that galvanically releases antimicrobial ions, the apparatus comprising: a flexible length of bioabsorbable filament; anda coating on the length of filament comprising an anodic metal that is co-deposited with a cathodic metal on the length of filament to form a non-unif

1. A bioabsorbable apparatus that galvanically releases antimicrobial ions, the apparatus comprising: a flexible length of bioabsorbable filament; anda coating on the length of filament comprising an anodic metal that is co-deposited with a cathodic metal on the length of filament 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 a continuous path of interconnected veins of anodic metal within the matrix of cathodic metal or a continuous path of cathodic metal within the matrix of anodic metal, wherein the continuous path extends from an outer surface of the coating to the filament;wherein the coated filament is flexible;further wherein the anodic metal is galvanically released as antimicrobial ions when the apparatus is inserted into a subject's body. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the anodic metal is at least about 30 percent by volume of the coating. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the anodic metal comprises both zinc and silver. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the anodic metal comprises silver, zinc or copper. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cathodic metal has a higher galvanic potential than the anodic metal. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cathodic metal comprises one or more of: palladium, platinum, gold, molybdenum, titanium, iridium, osmium, niobium and rhenium. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coating comprises the anodic metal and the cathodic metal that have been vapor-deposited onto the length of filament so that the anodic metal is not encapsulated by the cathodic metal. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the length of bioabsorbable filament comprises one or more of: polylactic acid (PLA), poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), polyglycolide (PGA), polyglycoside-co-trimethylene carbonate (PGTMC), poly(caprolactone-co-glycoside), poly(dioxanone) (PDS), and poly(caprolactone) (PCL). 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the length of filament is configured to degrade within the body to form a degradation product including an anion that complexes with ions of the anodic metal and diffuses into the subject's body to form an antimicrobial zone. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible length of bioabsorbable filament comprises a mesh. 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible length of bioabsorbable filament comprises a bag, envelope, pouch or net configured to hold an implant. 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible length of bioabsorbable filament is configured to at least partially house a pacemaker, defibrillator, neurostimulator, or ophthalmic implant. 13. A bioabsorbable apparatus that galvanically releases antimicrobial ions, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of lengths of bioabsorbable filament arranged in a woven structure; anda coating on the lengths of filament comprising zinc and silver and a cathodic metal that are all co-deposited onto the lengths of filament, 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 within the matrix of cathodic metal and a continuous path of interconnected veins of silver within the matrix of cathodic metal, wherein the continuous paths extend from an outer surface of the coating to the filament;further wherein the zinc and silver are galvanically released as antimicrobial ions when the apparatus is inserted into a subject's body. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the cathodic metal has a higher galvanic potential than the silver or zinc. 15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the cathodic metal comprises one or more of: palladium, platinum, gold, molybdenum, titanium, iridium, osmium, niobium and rhenium. 16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the coating comprises the silver and zinc and the cathodic metal that have been vapor-deposited onto the lengths of filament so that the anodic metal is not encapsulated by the cathodic metal. 17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the lengths of bioabsorbable filament comprise one or more of: polylactic acid (PLA), poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), polyglycolide (PGA), polyglycoside-co-trimethylene carbonate (PGTMC), poly(caprolactone-co-glycoside), poly(dioxanone) (PDS), and poly(caprolactone) (PCL). 18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the lengths of filament are configured to degrade within the body to form a degradation product including an anion that complexes with ions of the silver and zinc and diffuses into the subject's body to form an antimicrobial zone. 19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the woven structure comprises a mesh, a bag, envelope, a pouch or a net configured to at least partially enclose an implant within the subject's body. 20. A bioabsorbable apparatus that galvanically releases antimicrobial ions, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of lengths of bioabsorbable filament; anda coating on the lengths of filament comprising an anodic metal that is co-deposited with a cathodic metal on the lengths of filament 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 of cathodic metal within the matrix of anodic metal, wherein the continuous paths extend from an outer surface of the coating to the filament;wherein the lengths of filament are arranged into a flexible structure;further wherein the anodic metal is galvanically released as antimicrobial ions when the apparatus is inserted into a subject's body. 21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the continuous path of interconnected veins are interconnected so that less than 15% of the anodic metal is completely encapsulated within the matrix of cathodic metal, or less than 15% of the cathodic metal is completely encapsulated within the matrix of anodic metal. 22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the continuous path of interconnected veins are interconnected so that less than 10% of the anodic metal is completely encapsulated within the matrix of cathodic metal, or less than 10% of the cathodic metal is completely encapsulated within the matrix of anodic metal. 23. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the continuous path of interconnected veins are interconnected so that less than 15% of the zinc is completely encapsulated within the matrix of cathodic metal and less than 15% of the silver is completely encapsulated within the matrix of cathodic metal, or less than 15% of the cathodic metal is completely encapsulated within the matrix of zinc and less than 15% of the cathodic metal is completely encapsulated within the matrix of silver. 24. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the continuous path of interconnected veins are interconnected so that less than 10% of the zinc is completely encapsulated within the matrix of cathodic metal and less than 10% of the silver is completely encapsulated within the matrix of cathodic metal, or less than 10% of the cathodic metal is completely encapsulated within the matrix of zinc and less than 10% of the cathodic metal is completely encapsulated within the matrix of silver. 25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the continuous path of interconnected veins are interconnected so that less than 15% of the anodic metal is completely encapsulated within the matrix of cathodic metal, or less than 15% of the cathodic metal is completely encapsulated within the matrix of anodic metal. 26. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the continuous path of interconnected veins are interconnected so that less than 10% of the anodic metal is completely encapsulated within the matrix of cathodic metal, or less than 10% of the cathodic metal is completely encapsulated within the matrix of anodic metal.