Development of antimicrobial composite coatings for drug release in dental, orthopaedic and neural prostheses applications

While one of the major clinical and scientific challenges in the management of implant-related infections and post-operative complications after surgery is the application of new techniques, a new approach is pertinent in the design of medical implants to reduce bacterial infections. We have designed and tested antibiotic-containing biocomposite thin films of polylactic acid (PLA), and coralline-derived hydroxyapatite (HAp) as controlled drug delivery systems for the treatment of dental, orthopaedic and neural implant-related post-operative infections. These films can be applied to complicated designs of dental, miniaturized neural devices, cochlear or total hip replacement (THR) implants by spray or dip-coating techniques. Current results reveal that the devices could release antibiotic in a controlled manner to prevent significantly bacterial growth and biofilm production. Hydroxyapatite within the composites controls the release rate and also supplies minerals, such as calcium Ca²⁺ and phosphate PO₄²⁻ ions, which are essential minerals for bone tissue regeneration. It is concluded from the physical, mechanical and biological properties that these coatings and devices could easily be utilized in a wide range of biomedical applications.