Drug-and enzyme-funcionalized medical devices for prevention and treatment of infectious processes

Zusammenfassung

The aim of this Thesis was to implement different technological approaches to design combination products consisting of electrospun wound dressings or urinary catheters capable of inhibiting microorganism proliferation and biofilm formation. In the first part of Thesis, electrospinning process was implemented to obtain meshes based on cyclodextrins polymers containing an antifugal agent that prevent the growth of fungal species. The combination of polycyclodextrins and a hydrophobic HMDSO coating are useful tools to regulate drug relase. In the second part, irradiation process was implemented to graft different monomers onto poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) catheter surface to endow them with affinity to host antimicrobial agents. Grafted catheters improved ability for loading of active substances and acted as platform for localized release useful in prophylaxis and treatement of urinary infections. In the same way, catheters were also modified for the immobilization of antimicrobial/antibiofilm enzymes providing a "self-defensive" surface that inhibit bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation through biomimetic mechanism of action of each enzyme.