Diamond-like carbon coating is a new strategy to improve the surface properties of ureteral stents. This novel surface effectively decreases friction, encrustation tendencies and biofilm formation.

No abstract

Formation of crystalline bacterial biofilms (encrustations) on urological implants remains a major complication in patient care. Recently, it was shown that amorphous carbon (a‐C:H) coatings deposited on polyurethane (PU) stents provide a distinct reduction in biofilm formation with an effect more pronounced in‐vivo than in‐vitro. To investigate the underlying mechanisms, the influence of surface properties on the encrustation tendency of plasma coated and uncoated PU tubes was tested in an extended in‐vitro model with protein‐spiked artificial urine and urease. In the presence of albumin the formation of hollow crystalline spheres was observed mainly on uncoated PU. We suggest that evolving gas bubbles influence protein adherence and attachment of crystalline bacterial biofilm to the implant surfaces.