Emerging technologies for long-term antimicrobial device coatings: advantages and limitations

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Infectious Disease Research
• Medical Device Engineering

Background:

• Medical device-associated infections pose significant risks, leading to device failure and increased healthcare costs.
• Antimicrobial coatings aim to prevent bacterial colonization on implanted devices.
• The field has seen substantial growth, shifting towards sustained antimicrobial activity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and categorize emergent antimicrobial medical device coatings.
• To evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of long-term drug-eluting and non-eluting coatings.
• To provide an overview of coating applications and guide future research.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of antimicrobial coating technologies.
• Categorization of coatings into drug-eluting and intrinsically antimicrobial types.
• Analysis of coating advantages, disadvantages, and applications.

Main Results:

• Antimicrobial coating technologies have expanded significantly over 20 years.
• Two main categories exist: antibiotic-polymer conjugates and intrinsically antimicrobial materials.
• Both approaches offer distinct benefits and drawbacks for long-term antimicrobial activity.

Conclusions:

• Emergent coatings offer improved strategies for mitigating risks associated with implanted medical devices.
• Understanding the trade-offs between drug-eluting and non-eluting coatings is crucial for selecting optimal technologies.
• This review facilitates informed decisions for researchers developing next-generation antibacterial coatings.