This Coating Might Save Patient Lives

Summary: A new coating is saving patient lives and reducing the risks of infection.

One of the biggest challenges a hospital faces in its daily routine is making sure that rooms are free from potential infections. The immediate room is just one of many potential vectors, though, and medical device coatings are rising to meet this unique challenge. When a patient needs a catheter, a tube or any other medical device fit into the body, there is a risk, especially if the wound is open, that the device will cause infection.

Thanks to what is known as “anti-microbial” coatings, devices can slip in and out of a patient’s body without raising the risk for infection. Anti-microbial coatings use chemicals that have been evaporated and turned into a gas. These chemicals are applied inside vacuum deposition systems that are designed to give the substrate a uniform coating. That’s crucial, because any deformities could create problems for the patient.

The entire surface of the device receives the coating, and it is sterilized and placed into sterile packaging to further reduce the risk of infection. Combined with better air quality, quarantine procedures and sterile rooms, hospitals have become significantly safer against long-term risks like infection.

There are also aqueous coatings, which help devices slide into the patient’s body with relative ease. Patients can still feel the device, but they aren’t as likely to experience discomfort as the device is inserted into the body. This is a huge boon for patients that require multiple devices throughout a particular year.