Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) is the most common healthcare-associated infection; however, current therapeutic strategies remain insufficient for standard clinical application. A novel urinary catheter featuring a dual-layer nanoengineering approach using zinc (Zn) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) is successfully fabricated. This design targets microbial resistance, minimizes cytotoxicity, and maintains long-term efficacy. The inner AgNPs layer provides immediate antibacterial effects against the UTI pathogens, while the outer porous Zn layer controls zero-order Ag release and generates reactive oxygen species, thus enhancing long-term bactericidal performance. Enhanced antibacterial properties of Zn/AgNPs-coated catheters are observed, resulting in 99.9% of E. coli and 99.7% of S. aureus reduction, respectively. The Zn/AgNPs-coated catheter significantly suppresses biofilm with sludge formation compared to AgNP-coated and uncoated catheters (all, p < 0.05). The Zn/AgNP-coated catheter in a rabbit model demonstrated a durable, effective barrier against bacterial colonization, maintaining antimicrobial properties during the catheter indwelling period with significantly reduced inflammation and epithelial disruption compared with AgNP and uncoated groups. This innovation has the potential to revolutionize the design of antimicrobial medical devices, particularly for applications requiring long-term implantation. Although further preclinical studies are required to verify its efficacy and safety, this strategy seems to be a promising approach to preventing CAUTI-related complications.
Advanced healthcare materials. 2024 Jul 22 [Epub ahead of print]
Dong-Sung Won, Hyun Lee, Yubeen Park, Minjung Chae, Yu-Chan Kim, Bumjin Lim, Min-Ho Kang, Myoung-Ryul Ok, Hyun-Do Jung, Jung-Hoon Park
Biomedical Engineering Research Center, Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05505, Republic of Korea., Department of Biomedical-Chemical Engineering, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do, 14662, Republic of Korea., Biomaterials Research Center, Biomedical Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea., Department of Urology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05505, Republic of Korea., Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea.