You are treating a biofilm-associated device infection where most bacteria are slow-growing and enclosed in extracellular matrix. Synthesize an optimal antibiotic strategy involving beta-lactams and justify modifications needed to improve efficacy.

• A. Employ topical beta-lactam irrigation exclusively because biofilm-embedded bacteria are uniformly susceptible to surface-exposed antibiotics and systemic therapy is unnecessary for device-associated infections.
• B. Combine debridement or device removal to expose bacteria and reduce biofilm mass with an antibiotic regimen that includes a beta-lactam active against the organism (to kill planktonic/growing cells) plus an agent that penetrates biofilms or targets dormant cells; rely on culture to select a beta-lactamase-resistant or inhibitor-combined beta-lactam if enzyme production is suspected.
• C. Administer a beta-lactam together with a bacteriostatic agent that suppresses residual growth indefinitely, banking on the host immune system to clear bacteria over months without considering device removal or beta-lactamase production.
• D. Use only a high-dose beta-lactam monotherapy without removing the device because beta-lactams inherently penetrate all biofilms and eradicate dormant bacteria by reactivating cell-wall synthesis within minutes.

Answer: (B)