Hip and knee implants and other biomedical devices such as catheters are often prone to post-surgical infection. In certain cases where antibiotic treatment won't be effective, it may mean removing the implant, and cleaning the wound before replacing it. Too costly, both in terms of expenses, time and patients' condition.

However, researchers from the University of South Australia may have a solution: nanometre-thin antibacterial coatings to prevent bacterial colonisation of implants which result to septic inflammation conditions. According to Hans Griesser, Professor of Surface Science and Deputy Director of UniSA's Ian Wark Research Institute:

"We are using molecules called furanones, which are derived from natural chemicals originally extracted from Australian macro algae seaweed that grows off the eastern coast. The chemicals produced by these macro algae were found to prevent the colonisation of microbial organisms such as bacteria and fungi on their surfaces, helping to keep the algae clean. Researchers at the University of New South Wales developed synthetic analogues of the natural compounds and discovered that these chemicals also keep synthetic surfaces clean when placed on those surfaces in a marine environment. This provided the impetus for studying their use in biomedical device applications."

Furanones offer an advantage over using antibiotics because unlike antibiotics, furanones do not promote the development of bacterial resistance. Furanones act not by killing bacteria, but by preventing them from forming biofilms. UniSA PhD student Sameer Al-Bataineh developed methods for attaching the furanones to model substrates for different devices.

"If we can apply this to biomedical implants and other biomedical devices, we will have a major impact on the health of the nation and the cost benefits will be enormous."

Professor Griesser said they are now workign with Sydney-based company, Biosignal Limited, to develop antibacterial contact lenses.

Source: University of South Australia