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Designing for Lower Torso and Leg Anatomy
Published in Karen L. LaBat, Karen S. Ryan, Human Body, 2019
A urinary catheter, a tube to drain urine, can be inserted through the urethra to relieve retention. A catheter left in place for a period of time is an indwelling catheter. The catheter is attached to tubing which attaches to a urine collection bag suspended from the body in some manner. The catheter, tubing, and collection bag as a unit are a wearable product. An indwelling catheter left in place for a period of time increases risk of urinary tract infection (Warren, 1997). The wearer or a care giver must drain the urine periodically from a valve at the bottom of the bag. Although catheter designs have changed little in over 100 years (Warren, 2001), it is possible that improved designs or materials used in catheters, collection tubes and bags may decrease infection risk.
Current approaches for the exploration of antimicrobial activities of nanoparticles
Published in Science and Technology of Advanced Materials, 2021
Nur Ameera Rosli, Yeit Haan Teow, Ebrahim Mahmoudi
The use of urinary catheters to drain a patient’s bladder can cause the spreading of catheter-associated tract infections (CAUTIs). Pathogens use the catheters as a podium for their colonization and formation of biofilms, resulting in bacteriuria and elevated chances of secondary bloodstream infections [138]. Biofilms act as protectors for microorganisms by defending them from antimicrobial agents and antibiotics. E. coli has been found to be the main infective microorganism for CAUTIs and it is estimated the rate of CAUTI is about 5% per day [139]. Statistics have revealed that CAUTIs affecting approximately 15% to 25% of hospitalized patients [140]. For urinary catheters coated with Ag NPs, the dissolution of such NPs resulted in Ag+ release which in turn induced the formation of ROS; such catheters displayed outstanding activities against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria by inhibiting both the formation of biofilms and microbial growth [141]. Compared to Ag-coated catheters, Ag-polytetrafluoroethylene (Ag-PTFE) coating for catheters exhibited superior antimicrobial activities: it reduced bacterial adhesion by up to 60.3% and reduced the formation of biofilms by up to 97.4% [142]. However, despite the excellent antimicrobial activities, the leaching of NPs from the catheters remains a concern [143]. Besides their application to catheters, NPs have been used as coatings for various medical devices to reduce healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Cotton coated with CuO NPs and polymeric substrates present remarkable antibacterial properties on E. coli and S. aureus even after undergoing 30 washing cycles [144]. Photo-enhanced antibacterial effects of 0.5 mg/mL TiO2 NPs have been found to induce changes in bacterial morphology: the bacteria were observed in red fluorescence channels rather than in green under a confocal image, indicating a higher rate of membrane polarisation and bacterial death [62]. This finding has suggested the antibacterial utility of TiO2 NPs in hospital garments as it can manage bacterial infections. Siberian ginseng associated with Ag NPs has been employed in disinfecting surgical instruments, therefore avoiding cross-contaminations and enhancing safety in hospitals [145].