Medical devices are often used for a longer period of time. Such repeated use may lead to wear and tear of the devices and in turn increase the risk of infections. Medical device coating is a generic term given to various types of protective coatings used in the manufacture of medical devices. The coating prevents and reduces the risk of exposures to hazardous materials. It provides a physical barrier for biological hazards.
Medical device coatings are primarily incorporated on class II and class III medical devices. Lubricious coatings offer lubricity, protection against contamination, good wetting ability, and uniform adhesion. Anti-microbial coatings are applied on surfaces in order to prevent the growth of foreign microbes, which might cause fungal, bacterial infections. Anti-microbial coatings help in reducing the risk of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). According to the study, ‘Prevalence of antimicrobial use and active healthcare-associated infections in acute care hospitals: a multicentre prevalence survey in Japan’, published in June 2019, the proportion of patients with active HAIs was 7.4%. HAIs result in more deaths than AIDS, accidents, and breast cancer deaths. Antimicrobial coatings can help lower the rate of HAIs in patients by inhibiting the growth of microorganisms.
The coating can provide an increased level of durability and resistance to wear and tear which allows a medical device to last longer without compromising the effectiveness of its healing properties. This will also reduce the chance of the barrier's surface becoming infected and/or damaged by bacteria or other foreign materials. However, one must take care while using a medical coating because it needs to be applied correctly in order for the coating to be effective and retain its effectiveness over a long period of time.
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