title: Biofilm prevention on cochlear implants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the efficiency of a bacteria-resistant coating for the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) casing of cochlear implants.
  
  
  METHODS
  The coatings are based on thin titania films that are made by liquid phase deposition or atomic layer deposition. The antibacterial activity of the coating was tested by two different detection assays: BCA protein and confocal microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Coating the PDMS with thin films (10-40 nm) of titania significantly reduces the accumulation of bacteria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thin oxide films made under conditions that do not undermine the integrity of polymeric materials can be used as anti-microbial coatings for soft polymers such as the PDMS that is used as a casing for cochlear implants or other medical devices.
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Goldfinger
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Natan
authors.forename: Chaim N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Sukenik
authors.forename: Ehud
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Banin
authors.forename: Jona
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kronenberg
mesh_terms: D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D003054:Cochlear Implants / Q000382:microbiology*; D003638:Deafness / Q000534:rehabilitation; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D006801:Humans; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D014025:Titanium
chemical_list: D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; C009495:titanium dioxide; C013830:baysilon; D014025:Titanium
keywords: Biofilm; Cochlear implant; Infection; PDMS; Titania