Patent ID: 7892191

Claim:
A method for inhibiting biofilm formation associated with an indwelling medical device, the indwelling medical device comprising a piezo plate resonator with thickness polarization, the method comprising connecting the piezo plate resonator to an energy source for exciting the piezo plate resonator, controlling the energy source by a central processor unit for generating electrical signals which are transformed by the piezo plate resonator into mechanical vibrations and forming via the piezo plate resonator surface acoustic waves having nanometer amplitudes (nanovibration coating); the piezo plate oscillating at a main frequency and in second and higher harmonic frequencies within a frequency range from 0.02 to 50 MHz thereby creating over surfaces of the indwelling medical device mechanical vibration energy effective in inhibiting bacterial attachment to the indwelling medical device and consequently entry of microorganisms into a human body, and wherein the piezo plate resonator is operative to sense a magnitude of biofilm on the surfaces of the indwelling medical device.