The Mechanisms and the Applications of Antibacterial Polymers in Surface Modification on Medical Devices

Abstract

Medical device contamination caused by microbial pathogens such as bacteria and fungi has posed a severe threat to the patients’ health in hospitals. Due to the increasing resistance of pathogens to antibiotics, the efficacy of traditional antibiotics treatment is gradually decreasing for the infection treatment. Therefore, it is urgent to develop new antibacterial drugs to meet clinical or civilian needs. Antibacterial polymers have attracted the interests of researchers due to their unique bactericidal mechanism and excellent antibacterial effect. This article reviews the mechanism and advantages of antimicrobial polymers and the consideration for their translation. Their applications and advances in medical device surface coating were also reviewed. The information will provide a valuable reference to design and develop antibacterial devices that are resistant to pathogenic infections.

Recent Strategies to Combat Infections from Biofilm-Forming Bacteria on Orthopaedic Implants

“…Qiu et al reviewed the use of anti-microbial polymers as surface coatings to prevent adhesion, including polypyridine (PPy) derivatives, poly ionic liquids, guanidine-functionalised polymers, conjugated oligomers (COEs), dendritic polyethylene imine (PEI), and anti-microbial peptides. These are generally at preclinical stages of development but hold promise as non-antibiotic ASM agents [115].…”

Differences and similarities between mono-, bi- or tetrafunctional initiated cationic ring-opening polymerization of 2-oxazolines

“…This is due to their more compact structure for a given (average) molar mass, leading to lower internal viscosities and other distinctive rheological properties. 1,3,4 Star polymers are therefore considered as potential building blocks for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications 2,5 such as drug delivery, 6,7 gene therapy, 8 tissue engineering, 9 and antibacterial and antifouling coatings, 5,10 and form the basis for the development of new medical devices. 5,9,10 The synthesis of star polymers can be achieved by various approaches.…”

From Residues to Added-Value Bacterial Biopolymers as Nanomaterials for Biomedical Applications

“…The main issue associated with implant failure continues to be associated with bacterial adhesion and subsequent biofilm formation on the device surface. Different strategies have been employed to prevent colonization by bacteria, such as the design of nanostructured antibacterial topologies [8], surface coating of the implant with intrinsic antimicrobial polymers [9], chemical modification of surface materials to prevent adhesion or to provide antibacterial activity [10], and the immobilization of antimicrobial peptides, enzymes, or inorganic compounds [11]. Due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, the use of functional nanomaterials to control device-associated infections has been proposed as a promising alternative to conventional antibiotic treatment [12].…”