News Health & Medicine Lining medical stents with hairlike fuzz could fend off infections Sea star–inspired cilia washed away infection-promoting bacterial buildup in a prototype Lining stents and catheters with hairlike structures called cilia (shown) could make them easy to clean, reducing the need for frequent replacements, according to a new study. Pedro Amado and Cornel Dillinger By McKenzie Prillaman 40 seconds ago Covering stents with hairlike structures called cilia may help keep the implanted medical tubes clean, preventing infection, researchers report April 28 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. When exposed to ultrasound waves — which would be generated by equipment outside the body — the cilia wiggle and flush out substances stuck to the devices. Crystallized compounds and a sticky biofilm made by microbes often cause urinary stents and catheters to stop working, says biomedical engineer Francesco Clavica of the University of Bern in Switzerland. The tubes drain urine in the body’s “wet and warm environment, so it’s the perfect environment for bacteria to grow.” Sign up for our newsletter We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.