Reivindicaciones
CLAIMS 1. A tubular medical device comprising: a. a longitudinal outer surface; b. a longitudinal inner surface; and c. a material comprised between the two longitudinal surfaces with an index of refraction, n<c>, ³ 1.340; characterized in that at least one of the two longitudinal surfaces of the device comprises a photosensitizer covalently linked to said surface, wherein the photosensitizer and said surface are arranged so that the photosensitizer is excitable by an evanescent wave propagating in said material. 2. The medical device according to claim 1 , wherein the distance between the photosensitizer and said surface is from 0.5 to 200 nm. 3. The medical device according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it is suitable for being coupled to a light source of a wavelength comprised between 350 and 800 nm, said light source being arranged to irradiate the device at an angle of incidence ³ critical angle Q, and characterized in that the photosensitizer generates reactive oxygen species, wherein Q is such that it allows the longitudinal propagation of radiation by means of total internal reflection of the light along the material constituting the device. 4. The medical device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the photosensitizer is covalently linked to said at least one of the two longitudinal surfaces through a bifunctional spacer chain. 5. The medical device according to claim 4, characterized in that the bifunctional spacer chain is an alkoxysilane, preferably selected from aminosilanes, vinylsilanes, acyloxysilanes, glycidoxysilanes, acryloxysilanes, methacryloxysilanes, epoxysilanes, halosilanes, cyclic azasilanes, isocyanatesilanes, isothiocyanatesilanes, hydroxysilanes, and mercaptosilanes. 6. The medical device according to claim 5, characterized in that the alkoxysilane is an aminosilane selected from the group consisting of 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, 3- aminopropyltriethoxysilane, 3-aminopropyldiethoxymethylsilane, 3- aminopropyldimethylethoxysilane, 2,9-diazanonyltriethoxysilane, 12,15- diazapentadecyltrimethoxysilane, 4,7-diazaheptyltrimethoxysilane, 4,7,10- triazadecyltrimethoxysilane, and combinations thereof. 7. The medical device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said material comprised between the two longitudinal surfaces is a polymer material selected from the group consisting of silicone, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonates, acrylates, polystyrenes, polyethylene terephthalate, polyamides, polyurethanes, fluoropolymers, and combinations thereof. 8. The medical device according to claim 7, characterized in that said material is silicone. 9. The medical device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the photosensitizer is selected from the group consisting of porphyrins, phthalocyanines, Ru(ll), Pd(ll), and Pt(ll) complexes, boron dipyrromethenes, quinone-, anthraquinone-, acridine-, and coumarin-derivatives, xanthene derivatives such as fluorescein, eosin, rose bengal, and erythrosine, thiazine derivatives such as methylene blue, and combinations thereof. 10. The medical device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the photosensitizer belongs to the group of porphyrins. 11. The medical device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the photosensitizer is a metalloporphyrin selected from the group consisting of Protoporphyrin IX, octaethylporphyrin derivatives, meso-tetraphenylporphyrin derivatives such as meso-tetra(2-fluorophenyl)porphyrin, meso-tetra(3- fluorophenyl)porphyrin, and meso-tetra(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin, and combinations thereof. 12. The medical device according to any one of claims 1 to 11 , characterized in that the photosensitizer is a metalloporphyrin wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of Pt(ll), Pd(ll), Zn(ll), Fe(ll), Co(ll), Ni(ll), Ru(ll), Ti(ll), Cr(ll), Cu(ll), Si(IV), and combinations thereof. 13. The medical device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the photosensitizer is a metalloporphyrin wherein the metal is Pd(ll). 14. The medical device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that said medical device is selected from the group consisting of a catheter, bladder tube, gastric tube, urinary tube, endotracheal tube, and stent. 15. The medical device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that one of the two longitudinal surfaces of the device comprising a covalently linked photosensitizer is the outer surface of the tubular device. 16. A tubular medical device comprising: a. a longitudinal outer surface; b. a longitudinal inner surface; and c. a material comprised between the two longitudinal surfaces with an index of refraction, n<c>, ³ 1.340; characterized in that at least one of the two longitudinal surfaces of the device comprises a photosensitizer covalently linked to said surface, for use in the treatment and/or prevention of a disease caused by pathogen-induced infections, wherein said treatment and/or prevention is achieved by evanescent wave excitation of said photosensitizer. 17. A method for sterilizing a medical device according to any of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that it comprises the step of irradiating the device with an irradiation source with a wavelength comprised between 350 and 800 nm at an angle of incidence ³ critical angle Q, wherein Q is such that it allows the longitudinal propagation of radiation by means of total internal reflection of the light along the material constituting the device. 18. The sterilization method according to claim 17, characterized in that said method is carried out while the medical device is being used. 19. The sterilization method according to any one of claims 17 or 18, characterized in that the radiation comes from at least one laser light, at least one laser diode, or at least one light-emitting diode source. 20. The sterilization method according to any one of claims 17 to 19, characterized in that it prevents formation or growth, reduces or removes a biofilm from at least one of the surfaces of the medical device. 21. A method for preparing a medical device according to any of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: a. subjecting a tubular medical device comprising a longitudinal outer surface, a longitudinal inner surface, and a material comprised between the two longitudinal surfaces with an index of refraction, n<c>, ³ 1.340, to an oxidizing medium; b. reacting at least one of the oxidized surfaces obtained in step a) with a bifunctional spacer chain; and c. reacting a photosensitizer with at least one of the functionalized surfaces obtained in step b). 22. The method according to claim 21 , characterized in that the oxidizing medium is selected from oxygen, nitrogen, helium or argon plasma or atmospheric plasma, or an excimer lamp. 23. The method according to any one of claims 21 or 22, characterized in that the bifunctional spacer chain is an alkoxysilane. 24. The method according to claim 23, characterized in that the alkoxysilane is an aminosilane selected from the group consisting of 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, 3- aminopropyltriethoxysilane, 3-aminopropyldiethoxymethylsilane, 3- aminopropyldimethylethoxysilane, 2,9-diazanonyltriethoxysilane, 12,15- diazapentadecyltrimethoxysilane, 4,7-diazaheptyltrimethoxysilane, 4,7,10- triazadecyltrimethoxysilane, and combinations thereof. 25. The method according to any one of claims 21 to 24, characterized in that the photosensitizer is selected from the group consisting of porphyrins, phthalocyanines, Ru(ll), Pd(ll), and Pt(ll) complexes, boron dipyrromethenes, quinone-, anthraquinone-, acridine-, and coumarin-derivatives, xanthene derivatives such as fluorescein, eosin, rose bengal, and erythrosine, thiazine derivatives such as methylene blue, and combinations thereof. 26. A kit comprising a medical device according to any of claims 1 to 15 and an external light source, wherein the light source is preferably selected from the group consisting of a laser light, a laser diode, or a light-emitting diode source. 27. The kit according to claim 26, further comprising instructions for irradiating the device in order to achieve excitation of the photosensitizer by an evanescent wave generated by a beam of light propagating longitudinally by total internal reflection. 28. The kit according to anyone of claims 26 or 27, wherein the light source is either integrated in the device or coupled to the device. 29. The kit according to anyone of claims 26 to 28, wherein the light source is coupled to the device by means of a wave guide, preferably an optical fiber. 30. Use of the medical device according to anyone of claims 1 to 15, or of the kit according to anyone of claims 26 to 29, in a sterilization procedure that involves total internal reflection of light to achieve photosensitizer excitation.
