Overview

This white paper, authored by Alexandra Piotrowicz and Chris Munday, addresses the critical challenge of microbial adhesion and biofilm formation on urological devices such as catheters and stents. These issues contribute to infections like catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), which are among the most common hospital-acquired infections in the U.S.

The paper explores the limitations of current antimicrobial strategies and highlights the potential of surface modifying additives (SMAs) as a non-drug-based approach to enhance device safety and efficacy. By preventing bacterial adhesion at the source, SMAs offer a promising alternative to coatings and drug-eluting technologies, which often face challenges in durability, cost, and scalability. The authors emphasize the importance of developing practical, stable, and cost-effective solutions for long-term infection prevention in urological care.