Bacterial infection and infection-induced immune response have been a life-threatening risk for patients having orthopedic implant surgeries. Conventional biomaterials are vulnerable to biocontamination, which causes bacterial invasion in wounded areas, leading to postoperative infection. Therefore, development of anti-infection and immune-evasive coating for orthopedic implants is urgently needed. Here, we developed an advanced surface modification technique for orthopedic implants termed lubricated orthopedic implant surface (LOIS), which was inspired by slippery surface of Nepenthes pitcher plant. LOIS presents a long-lasting, extreme liquid repellency against diverse liquids and biosubstances including cells, proteins, calcium, and bacteria. In addition, we confirmed mechanical durability against scratches and fixation force by simulating inevitable damages during surgical procedure ex vivo. The antibiofouling and anti-infection capability of LOIS were thoroughly investigated using an osteomyelitis femoral fracture model of rabbits. We envision that the LOIS with antibiofouling properties and mechanical durability is a step forward in infection-free orthopedic surgeries.

Brain‐machine interfaces (BMIs) that link the brain to a machine are promising for the treatment of neurological disorders through the bi‐directional translation of neural information over extended periods. However, the longevity of such implanted devices remains limited by the deterioration of their signal sensitivity over time due to acute inflammation from insertion trauma and chronic inflammation caused by the foreign body reaction. To address this challenge, a lubricated surface is fabricated to minimize friction during insertion and avoid immunogenicity during neural signal recording. Reduced friction force leads to 86% less impulse on the brain tissue, and thus immediately increases the number of measured signal electrodes by 102% upon insertion. Furthermore, the signal measurable period increases from 8 to 16 weeks due to the prevention of gliosis. By significantly reducing insertion damage and the foreign body reaction, the lubricated immune‐stealthy probe surface (LIPS) can maximize the longevity of implantable BMIs.

While a clear operating field during endoscopy is essential for accurate diagnosis and effective surgery, fogging or biofouling of the lens can cause loss of visibility during these procedures. Conventional cleaning methods such as the use of an irrigation unit, anti-fogging surfactant, or particle-based porous coatings infused with lubricants have been used but proven insufficient to prevent loss of visibility. Herein, a mechanically robust anti-fogging and anti-biofouling endoscope lens was developed by forming a lubricant-infused directly engraved nano-/micro-structured surface (LIDENS) on the lens. This structure was directly engraved onto the lens via line-by-line ablation with a femtosecond laser. This directly engraved nano/microstructure provides LIDENS lenses with superior mechanical robustness compared to lenses with conventional particle-based coatings, enabling the maintenance of clear visibility throughout typical procedures. The LIDENS lens was chemically modified with a fluorinated self-assembled monolayer (F-SAM) followed by infusion of medical-grade perfluorocarbon lubricants. This provides the lens with high transparency (> 70%) along with superior and long-lasting repellency towards various liquids. This excellent liquid repellency was also shown to be maintained during blood dipping, spraying, and droplet condensation experiments. We believe that endoscopic lenses with the LIDENS offer excellent benefits to endoscopic surgery by securing clear visibility for stable operation.

Wearable and implantable bioelectronics have received a great deal of interest since the need for personalized healthcare systems has arisen. Bioelectronics are designed to detect biological signals and apply medical treatments, thereby enabling patients to monitor and manage their health conditions. However, current bioelectronics lack long-term stability, biocompatibility, and functionality after implantation into the human body. In particular, the intrinsically different natures of the devices and human tissue result in low device–tissue compatibility. The obstacles for this can be defined as (1) physical, (2) biological, and (3) interfacial. The mechanical mismatch between rigid device materials and soft tissue results in physical incompatibility, which causes user discomfort and scar tissue formation. In addition, devices can show poor biocompatibility since the device materials are recognized as foreign bodies by the immune system. Accordingly, the applied devices can be toxic and/or induce an undesirable immune response and inflammation. Last, tissue environments are moist, irregular, and dynamic, which causes poor interfacial compatibility between the device and the human body. Herein, we describe various recent strategies to overcome limitations in the physical, biological, and interfacial compatibility of bioelectronics for long-term functionality in vivo. Moreover, in the last part of the review, we mention current limitations and future perspectives of bioelectronics for commercialization.

Developing bioelectronics that retains their long-term functionalities in the human body during daily activities is a current critical issue. To accomplish this, robust tissue adaptability and biointerfacing of bioelectronics should be achieved. Hydrogels have emerged as promising materials for bioelectronics that can softly adapt to and interface with tissues. However, hydrogels lack toughness, requisite electrical properties, and fabrication methodologies. Additionally, the water-swellable property of hydrogels weakens their mechanical properties. In this work, an intrinsically nonswellable multifunctional hydrogel exhibiting tissue-like moduli ranging from 10 to 100 kPa, toughness (400-873 J m −3 ), stretchability (≈1000% strain), and rapid self-healing ability (within 5 min), is developed. The incorporation of carboxyland hydroxyl-functionalized carbon nanotubes (fCNTs) ensures high conductivity of the hydrogel (≈40 S m −1 ), which can be maintained and recovered even after stretching or rupture. After a simple chemical modification, the hydrogel shows tissue-adhesive properties (≈50 kPa) against the target tissues. Moreover, the hydrogel can be 3D printed with a high resolution (≈100 μm) through heat treatment owing to its shear-thinning capacity, endowing it with fabrication versatility. The hydrogel is successfully applied to underwater electromyography (EMG) detection and ex vivo bladder expansion monitoring, demonstrating its potential for practical bioelectronics.