Chapter 2 - Microbial biofilms on medical indwelling devices

Abstract

Microbes can adhere to both biotic surfaces, such as tissue, and abiotic surfaces, such as medical implants, to form organized biofilms. With the advancement of medical science, the use of medical devices for human treatment has been significantly increased. Bacteria can frequently form organized biofilms on medical indwelling devices such as catheters, orthopedic implants and prosthetic joints, tissue fillers, prosthetic cardiac valves and pacemakers, endotracheal tubes, and contact lenses. The biofilms bacteria are surrounded by a self-produced extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) matrix and are resistant to host defense and antibiotics. Biofilm control in the clinical setting is a huge challenge, and with the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains, normal antibiotic therapy is ineffective. Biofilm infections result in the failure of the device, requiring replacement of the medical implant or a second surgery, resulting in a significant increase in mortality, treatment costs, and recovery time. In this chapter we present an overview of bacteria biofilms that can affect medical indwelling devices.