Biocompatible Coating of Medical Devices for Protection Against Biofilms

Biofilm formation on surgical device surfaces is a major health issue that leads to higher rates of illness and death and significantly increases healthcare management costs. Conventional antimicrobial treatments do not work well on biofilms, with their growing resistance leading to persistent infections, followed by the spread of emerging infectious diseases due to unhygienic food contact surfaces. Therefore, the demand for novel strategies beyond conventional antibiotic therapies and the maintenance of hygiene conditions on food contact surfaces to control biofilm-based infections is of outmost importance. Generally, the control process involves developing biofilm inhibitors based on understanding how biofilms form at the molecular level and coating the contact surface with a material that inhibits biofilm formation. However, the biocompatibility of the modified contact surface is of concern. Recently, biogenically synthesized metallic nanostructures have gained significant attention among healthcare professionals and in the food industry due to their excellent ability to retard biofilm formation caused by several pathogens. Moreover, nanostructures demonstrated mechanistic antibiofilm efficacy by disrupting the regulation process, inhibiting protein synthesis, ATP depletion, and damaging cell walls. The present chapter focuses on advancing anti-biofilm approaches through several mechanisms, indicating promising strategies for better anti-biofilm therapies compared to conventional approaches. Moreover, the chapter elaborates on coating strategies for surgical devices or procedures such as sutures, endotracheal tubes, catheters, and gloves, followed by discussion on improvements in cellulose-based dressings used in operation theatres to inhibit biofilm formation and prevent the spread of pathogenic bacteria that cause life-threatening diseases.