Reduced Crystalline Biofilm Formation on Superhydrophobic Silicone Urinary Catheter Materials

Crystalline biofilm formation in indwelling urinary catheters is a serious health problem as it creates a barrier for antibacterial coatings. This emphasizes the failure of antibacterial coatings that do not have a mechanism to reduce crystal deposition on catheter surfaces. In this study, trifluoropropyl spray-coated polydimethylsiloxane (TFP-PDMS) has been employed as an antibiofilm forming surface without any antibacterial agent. Here, TFP was coated on half-cured PDMS using the spray coating technique to obtain a durable superhydrophobic coating for a minimum five cycles of different sterilization methods. The crystalline biofilm-forming ability of Proteus mirabilis in artificial urine, under static and flow conditions, was assessed on a TFP-PDMS surface. In comparison to the commercially available silver-coated latex and silicone catheter surfaces, TFP-PDMS displayed reduced bacterial attachment over 14 days. Moreover, the elemental analysis determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis revealed that the enhanced antibiofilm forming ability of TFP-PDMS was due to the self-cleaning activity of the surface. We believe that this modified surface will significantly reduce biofilm formation in indwelling urinary catheters and further warrant future clinical studies.