Nanostructured coatings for biomaterials

Recent advances in materials science and engineering have given scientists unprecedented degrees of flexibility and precision, allowing for the fabrication of biomedical implants that more closely emulate the structure and function of the body organs they replace. The implants must integrate themselves seamlessly within the human body without a tendency toward aseptic loosening. A less common, though more damaging, cause of replacement is implant-associated infection. A promising approach to overcome these limitations is surface modification of biomedical devices by nanostructured coatings, which can alter their surface energy, roughness, and hydrophilicity, and consequently enhance their biocompatibility as well as providing special functionality such as drug delivery and inhibiting biofilm formation. In this chapter, we discuss recent progress and future directions for the design of nanostructured coatings that can inhibit biofilm formation as well as promoting osseointegration.