Oftentimes when we think of hospitals, we think of sterile environments with hand sanitizer dispensers and surgical face masks lurking around every corner. As a result, we automatically assume that hospital equipment is at maximum sterility levels and practically bacteria free; unfortunately, that is not the case. With the rise in antibiotic resistant bacteria within hospitals across the United States, scientists and biomedical engineers have been searching for alternative materials and disinfection methods that will reduce the amount of bacterial colony formations, also known as biofilms, found on common medical devices like catheters, intravenous catheters, and implants. It has taken some time, but without further adieu, Bionano Science and Technology at Harvard University proudly presents a solution to this issue: “liquid-infused silicone,” also known as “slippery silicone.”
Image source: Rafe Swan
Slippery silicone is essentially the same silicone tubing and material that is currently used in hospitals across the United States, but it has an exciting new twist. It is infused with a nontoxic silicone oil that dangerous biofilm forming bacteria, such as E. Coli and Staph, cannot adhere to the material and form colonies. Hospitals will soon be able to reduce the rate at which their patients contract infections during or after their admittance. For example, 40% of urinary tract infections (UTIs) are hospital contracted infections caused by resistant bacteria on catheters. With the immense promise that slippery silicone has shown in clinical trials, one can only imagine how this 40% rate will drop once this product is FDA approved and put into mass use. This is only the first step towards improving the sterility of medical materials, but it is, nonetheless, an important step towards the future of preventative medicine and other medical practices.
Feature Image Source: ITU by Badly Drawn Dad
