Preparation of polyurethane hydrogels (I) involves reacting (a) nonionic, hydrophilized, aliphatic and/or cycloaliphatic polyisocyanate prepolymers, containing less than 1 wt. % monomeric diisocyanates, (b) compounds containing at least one tert. amino group and at least three hydroxy groups, (c) water and (d) optionally antimicrobially active metal salts and/or metal particles. An independent claim is included for the polyurethane hydrogels (I) obtained by the process.