ObjectiveThe antibacterial properties of porous medical implant materials were reviewed to provide guidance for further improvement of new medical implant materials.MethodsThe literature related to the antibacterial properties of porous medical implant materials in recent years was consulted, and the classification, characteristics and applications, and antibacterial methods of porous medical implant materials were reviewed.ResultsPorous medical implant materials can be classified according to surface pore size, preparation process, degree of degradation in vivo, and material source. It is widely used in the medical field due to its good biocompatibility and biomechanical properties. Nevertheless, the antibacterial properties of porous medical implant materials themselves are not obvious, and their antibacterial properties need to be improved through structural modification, overall modification, and coating modification.ConclusionAt present, coating modification as the mainstream modification method for improving the antibacterial properties of porous medical materials is still a research hotspot. The introduction of new antibacterial substances provides a new perspective for the development of new coated porous medical implant materials, so that the porous medical implant materials have a more reliable antibacterial effect while taking into account biocompatibility.