Antibacterial hyaluronic acid/chitosan multilayers onto smooth and micropatterned titanium surfaces.

Bacterial contamination is a critical problem in medical implants, which are preferential sites for bacterial adhesion, leading to infections which can compromise health and immune system of patients. Commercial titanium alloys are the most commonly used materials for permanent implants in contact with bone, and the prevention of infections on their surface is therefore a crucial challenge for orthopaedic and dental surgeons. Thus, the aim of this work is to develop polysaccharide antibacterial coatings onto modified titanium surfaces with different surface topography, in order to act as reservoirs of antibacterial agents.