A novel ureteral stent material with antibacterial and reducing encrustation properties

Ureteral stents have been used to relieve ureterostenosis. Complications such as infection and encrustation occur in the long time of stent implantation, which is a clinical problem needs to be resolved. Indwelling ureteral stents have shown to develop microbial biofilm that may lead to recurrent infection and encrustation. This study was aiming to reduce those complications by using a novel material, Cu-bearing antibacterial stainless steel. The antibacterial performance, encrustation property, and biocompatibility were examined by SEM, image analysis, MTT and would healing. The in vitro immersion test showed that 316LCu-bearing stainless steel (316LCu-SS) not only inhibited proliferation of bacteria and formation of biofilm, but also had less encrustation deposition. Its antibacterial effectiveness against Escherichia coli reached to 92.7% in the artificial urine for 24 h and 90.3% in the human urine for 6 h. The encrustation surface coverage percentage was 30.2% by 12 weeks, which was nearly one half of NiTi alloy. The in vitro tests showed that 316LCu-SS had no toxicity, and promoted the migration of urethral epithelial cells.