Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-24-2026

Department

Biological and Earth Sciences

Abstract

Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) remains one of the most serious complications of arthroplasty, largely due to the formation of microbial biofilms on implant surfaces. Biofilm-associated infections exhibit increased tolerance to antimicrobial therapy and host immune responses, making eradication difficult and often requiring repeated surgical interventions. Consequently, there is a growing need for effective local therapeutic strategies capable of delivering high concentrations of antimicrobial agents directly to the site of infection while minimizing systemic toxicity. Hydrogels have emerged as promising drug delivery platforms for the management of biofilm-associated PJI. Their biocompatibility, injectability, high water content, and tunable physicochemical properties enable controlled and localized release of therapeutic agents within the infected peri-implant environment. This narrative review summarizes recent advances in hydrogel-based approaches, including antibiotic-loaded hydrogels, systems incorporating anti-biofilm enzymes, bacteriophage-loaded formulations, and nanoparticle-enhanced platforms. It also highlights future research directions, with particular emphasis on the need for expanded clinical studies to facilitate the translation of emerging hydrogel-based therapies into clinical practice. Further development of these systems should focus on the incorporation of novel therapeutic agents into hydrogel platforms, aiming to enhance biofilm eradication and improve treatment outcomes in patients with PJI. Particular attention is given to stimuli-responsive (“smart”) hydrogels that release therapeutic payloads in response to infection-related triggers such as pH changes, with emphasis on the need for expanded clinical studies to facilitate the translation of emerging hydrogel-based therapies into clinical practice. Further development of these systems should focus on the incorporation of novel therapeutic agents into hydrogel platforms, aiming to enhance biofilm eradication and improve treatment outcomes in patients with PJI.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14091882

First Page

Article number 1882

Publication Title

microorganisms

Comments

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bacterial Biofilms in Health and Disease)


© 2026 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.

Original Citation:

Kraus, K., Mikziński, P., Subhadra, B., & Paluch, E. (2026). Hydrogels for Local Drug Delivery in Biofilm-Associated Periprosthetic Joint Infection: Current Progress and Future Directions. Microorganisms, 14(9), 1882. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14091882

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