The current increase in the number of implants derives from the increase in the life expectancy of the population, and in the functional improvement of the treated patients. However, although the biomaterials that make up the implant are as appropriate as possible, successful fixation of the implant and recovery of the patients’ quality of life depends on the possible appearance of an infection, since the surface of these medical devices can be easily colonized by bacterial cells. In fact, bacterial implant infection is currently one of the most relevant problems, which has a prevalence of around 2.4%, which usually leads to a new operation to replace the infected device. Antibacterial polymers are a type of biomaterial that offers a possible solution to the problem, even becoming a possible alternative to antibiotics responsible for many bacterial resistances. This review exposes the most important approaches in the use of these polymers when it comes to preventing infections caused by implants, avoiding the adherence of bacteria to it. The modification of the surface of the device can be carried out through different mechanisms, electrostatic interaction, free radical generation, chelation processes, as well as through the use of different types of polymers such as amphiphilic and/or antifouling polymers. In turn, the polymer can show an antibacterial character by itself, or it is the modified surface of the implant itself, or the polymer that covers it, which will release biocides such as antibiotics or antiseptics in a controlled way, which will end the bacterial biofilm causing the infection, and the effectiveness of the implanted device could be recovered.

Universidad de Sevilla. Grado en Farmacia