A multifunctional ionic liquid coating on 3D-Printed prostheses: Combating infection, promoting osseointegration

Periprosthetic infection and mechanical loosening are two leading causes of implant failure in orthopedic surgery that have devastating consequences for patients both physically and financially. Hence, advanced prostheses to simultaneously prevent periprosthetic infection and promote osseointegration are highly desired to achieve long-term success in orthopedics. In this study, we proposed a multifunctional three-dimensional printed porous titanium alloy prosthesis coated with imidazolium ionic liquid. The imidazolium ionic liquid coating exhibited excellent bacterial recruitment property and near-infrared (NIR) triggered photothermal bactericidal activity, enabling the prosthesis to effectively trap bacteria in its vicinity and kill them remotely via tissue-penetrating NIR irradiation. In vivo anti-infection and osseointegration investigations in infected animal models confirmed that our antibacterial prosthesis could provide long-term and sustainable prevention against periprosthetic infection, while promoting osseointegration simultaneously. It is expected to accelerate the development of next-generation prostheses and improve patient outcomes after prosthesis implantation.