Orthopedic implants may have significant problems of device failure and infection that affect 10% of implant patients. In spite of several attempts to combat infection, serious drawbacks are observed, such as the formation of biofilms, other coatings rapidly losing their efficacy against drug-resistant strains of bacterial pathogens, and side effects of coatings on the tissue around them. A study published in Science Advances reports the development of “smart” coatings for surgical orthopedic implants which not only destroy pathogens, but can also detect strain on the devices to provide an early warning of implant failure.
The coatings incorporate nanostructured antibacterial surfaces with flexible sensors that are modeled based on cicadas' and dragonflies' wings that pierce the cell wall of an adhering bacterium, ultimately destroying it. This would allow orthopedic surgeons to monitor…
