Antibacterial Coatings on Haemodialysis Catheters by Photochemical Deposition of Silver Nanoparticles

In haemodialysis patients, the risk of bacteremia associated to the use of vascular access is very high; many reports count the use of both tunnelled and not tunnelled catheters as one of the major cause of infections. The use of silver in modern medicine is growing thanks to its strong biocide activity against a broad spectrum of bacteria and fungi and its good degree of biocompatibility. In this study an innovative and patented technology has been used for superficial treatment of polyurethane haemodialysis catheters with silver.