Bacterial biofilms on devices used in nephrology

Summary: Prosthetic devices are commonly used in nephrological and urological practice for the management of urinary and peritoneal dialysis flow, haemodialysis and drainage of renal calculi after laser or lithotripsy treatment. Many different types of materials are used and a number of complications arise, yet the fundamental interactions which occur at these biomaterial surfaces have been little studied. Recent information has shown that host conditioning films are deposited onto materials upon implantation, and that dense bacterial biofllms can form and resist conventional therapy. In order to better manage patients with prostheses, it will be imperative to understand the processes arising in the host and, using scientific data, to select the optimal interventions.