Antibiotic-Free Solutions for the Development of Biofilm Prevention Coatings

Abstract

AbstractStents and urinary catheters are commonly used medical devices, whose need is forecasted to grow considering not only the world population increase but also its aging and sedentary lifestyle.Independently of the great development on biomaterials and device design, infection represents still a major cause of failure of these devices, with undeniable humane and economical costs. Different antibiotic-based solutions have appeared in the market to try to address the matter. However, there is growing evidence on the impact of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms on urinary tract medical-devices infections, and respective outcomes. A broad number of alternatives have been proposed, however, given the wide variability of results for different strategies, there remains a tremendous need to validate their clinical significance, particularly assuring patient safety. Additionally, most of these strategies might be advantageous while in combination with current therapies, so further studies are needed.