Fabrication of Nanostructured Surfaces Towards the Prevention of Hospital-Acquired Infection

Hospital-acquired infections are a marked burden on the healthcare system and the leading cause of death in hospitals. Medical devices and implants contribute significantly to the infection because it has direct contact with the patient body cavity. To solve this issue surface of the devices needs to be modified for efficient functioning. To achieve different surface properties advanced surface modification strategies like plasma-assisted surface modification, plasmonic lithography, nanopatterning by laser beam or electron beam, and chemical etching oxidation can be used. Nanostructure inhibits bacterial growth without causing toxicity or the least toxicity to the surrounding tissue in the human body. The current review summarizes the numerous surface modification strategies adopted for developing novel nanostructured surfaces with more emphasis on titanium-based nanostructure in medical devices along with a brief review of the bactericidal mechanism. This review also sheds some light on the biomedical importance of polymeric and Inorganic nanocomposite materials with their biocompatibility and toxicity profile.

Graphical Abstract