Mandi IIT team finds solution to implant-associated infections

Mandi, November 10

Researchers of the Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi, have unveiled an innovative solution to a long-standing problem with medical implants – the risk of infections. A team led by Dr Amit Jaiswal, Associate Professor, School of Biosciences and Bioengineering, has introduced an ingenious solution for implant-associated infections by utilising innovative sugar-coated nanosheets as implant coatings.

Researchers said medical implants have long been a vital part of medical and reconstructive procedures, serving as effective treatments for a wide range of conditions. However, the formation of biofilms on these implants over time can lead to recurring infections and inflammation, ultimately causing tissue damage.

“To address these persistent implant-associated infections, the research team has devised a biocompatible, non-leaching, and contact-based antibacterial coating for implants, utilising quaternary pullulan functionalised MoS2 (MCP) glycosheets. These cationic MCP glycosheets have been seamlessly applied to the surfaces of polydopamine-modified stainless steel and polyvinyl fluoride substrates through a straightforward electrostatic interaction process,” said Dr Jaiswal.

“The developed MCP coating exhibited outstanding antibacterial efficacy, effectively eradicating more than 99.5% of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria,” he added. “A remarkable achievement of this research is that this antibacterial performance remains stable for over 30 days without any leaching from the implant surfaces. Furthermore, MCP-coated implants have proven to be entirely safe, inducing neither acute nor sub-chronic toxicity in mammalian cells during both in-vitro and in-vivo testing,” he said.

“The developed coating is a unique combination of quaternised pullulan and MoS2 nanosheets provides a potent defence against infections, while the easy and stable coating process ensures no leakage from the implant surfaces. Crucially, this solution has been proven to be entirely safe for human cells in vitro and in vivo in mice model, making it a promising advancement in the field of medical implants” he remarked.

“This pioneering approach not only offers exceptional protection against infections but also promises simplified and secure implementation, potentially transforming the safety and efficacy of implant technology,” said Jaiswal.