Silver nanoparticles: Synthesis, antimicrobial coatings, and applications for medical devices

The development of antimicrobial biomaterials based on silver nanoparticles (SNP) has attracted significant interest during the past decade. SNP have demonstrated very beneficial properties, especially antibacterial, antifungal, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory properties which can be exploited for a range of technical and medical products, for example topical ointments, bandages, stents. Such applications have been demonstrated to be very effective in the prevention and treatment of bacterial infections. Bacterial infections from medical devices are a major clinical problem and various strategies have been developed to avoid infections via medical device. Consequently, antibiotic coating of devices is of great importance to tackle device-related infection. A large number of studies on SNP as an antimicrobial agent on a range of different medical devices were conducted and related patents for antimicrobial silver based materials disclosed. This article will focus on the very recent patent base for the synthesis and application of silver based materials and devices for medical applications.