Biofilm and orthopaedic practice: the world of microbes in a world of implants

Biofilms are complex communities of surface-attached micro-organisms made up of single or multiple species. They grow in three stages, attachment of bacteria to the substratum followed by bacterial growth and division and then colonization of the surrounding area and the formation of the biofilm. While the basic mechanisms of biofilm-associated antimicrobial resistance are understood, research continues into biofilm- associated antimicrobial resistance.