Synergistic effects of ultrasound and photodynamic therapy leading to biofilm eradication on polyurethane catheter surfaces modified with hypericin nanoformulations

In this study polyurethane (PUR) surfaces were coated with hypericin nanoformulations, leading to 4.3 log10 reduction in bacterial growth in vitro. The effect could be enhanced by the application of ultrasound. The combination of PDT with ultrasound therapy led to a synergistic effect resulting in a 6.8 log10 reduction of viable counts. This minimal invasive method requires only an optical fibre inserted in the catheter lumen and an ultrasound device. Thus the implementation in daily clinical practice is very simple.Graphical abstractIllustration of in situ photo-triggered activation of hypericin in central venous catheters.
Source: Materials Science and Engineering: C - Category: Materials Science Source Type: research