Material Science Versus SSI: Bioinspired Omniphobic Functional Surfaces Against Surgical Site Infections

Abstract

Surgical site infections (SSI) present a significant morbidity and mortality rate post-surgery, with effects more pronounced in developing countries than in developed ones. SSIs are not only personal burdens shouldered by individuals and their families; they also present a social cost to healthcare systems, with billions of dollars in economic losses every year due to unaddressed post-operative complications. There exists a number of initiatives and best practices to combat SSI, yet especially for developing countries, the statistics for infections remain relatively high, due to multiple factors. The authors propose the potential adaptation of newly developed surface-processed polycarbonates to be adapted for utilization in surgical centers and surrounding areas. These materials, originally manufactured for application in the automotive industry, are both oleophobic and hydrophobic, which can be used to coat commonly-used objects in the surgery center, thereby reducing chances of microorganism retention, including infection-causing viruses, bacteria and fungi. Especially in underserved areas with limited resources, sanitation difficulties, and challenging hygiene practices, non-single use materials with these self-cleaning properties would be highly valuable for operating rooms and post-surgical care wards. Based on principles in exposure science, these new materials can provide additional necessary environmental safeguards to prevent risks of SSI before, during and after surgery, and are thus potential candidates for further studies for medical application.