A research team from China has developed an innovative coating that could substantially lower the risk of catheter-associated urinary tract infections. The coatings are based on polylactic acid (PLA) and were engineered using techniques such as breath fig (BF), inverse emulsion (Ie), and vapour-induced phase separation (VIPS) to create a highly porous structure. Drug release tests revealed an initial burst within 24 hours, followed by a sustained release lasting up to 28 days. Highly porous Ie-BF coatings achieved the highest cumulative release rate of 87.45 %. Source: Lin, P. et al., Fabrication of highly porous polymeric coatings loaded with rifampicin for preventing catheter-associated urinary tract infections.