PROTECTIVE TREATMENT FOR CATHETERS

THE LONG-TERM OBJECTIVE OF THIS RESEARCH IS TO MAKE COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CENTRAL VENOUS CATHETERS (CVC) THAT HAVE BEEN CHEMICALLY TREATED TO REDUCE THEIR TENDENCY TO INDUCE INFECTIONS, THEREBY BRINGING MAJOR HUMANITARIAN BENEFITS AND SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTIONS IN HOSPITAL CARE COSTS. SPECIFICALLY, DENVER SURGICAL DEVELOPMENTS, INC. WILL: (1) APPLY AN ALREADY DEVELOPED PROCESS FOR ANTIMICROBIAL PROTECTION OF SILICONE RUBBER TO A COMMONLY USED CVC (HICKMAN) DEVICE; (2) DETERMINE THE DURATION AND LEVELS OF ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF OPTIMALLY TREATED CATHETERS DURING PERFUSION WITH SALINE, NUTRITIONAL, AND ONCOTHERAPEUTIC SOLUTIONS; (3) DETERMINE THE DEGREES OF PROTECTION OF TREATED CATHETERS AGAINST LUMEN COLONIZATION IN VITRO; (4) DETERMINE THE BIOCOMPATIBILITY IN MOUSE TISSUE OF THE TREATED CATHETER MATERIAL; AND (5) DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF NORMAL STORAGE ON ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY AND TENSILE STRENGTH OF TREATED CATHETERS.