SURFACE MODIFICATION FOR IMPROVED PERCUTANEOUS CATHETERS

MANY LIFE-SAVING PROCEDURES NOW REQUIRE THE INSERTION OF LONG-DWELLING PERCUTANEOUS CATHETERS (I.E., SEVERAL TYPES OFVASCULAR CATHETERS AND PERITONEAL DIALYSIS CATHETERS). IDEALLY, THESE CATHETERS SHOULD BE BOTH COMPATIBLE WITH THE TISSUES THEY ENCOUNTER AND PROVIDE AN EFFECTIVE BARRIER AT THE EPIDERMIS TO PREVENT MICROBIAL INVASION. CURRENTLY, NO CATHETERS PROVIDE AN ADEQUATE SEAL AT THE SKIN SURFACE; THEREFORE, BACTERIAL INFECTIONS AT THE CATHETER INSERTION SITE ARE QUITE COMMON. THE PROPOSED FEASIBILITY STUDY WILL IMMOBILIZE CELL FACTORS AND ANTIBIOTICS ON POLYMERS COMMERCIALLY USED FOR PERCUTANEOUS CATHETERS. THESE FACTORSARE EXPECTED TO PROMOTE THE ATTACHMENT AND OVERGROWTH OF EPITHELIAL CELLS AND FIBROBLASTS AND, THEREFORE, SHOULD RESTORE THE CONTINUITY OF THE SKIN AND IMPROVE TISSUE COMPATIBILITY. IN PHASE I, WE WILL USE TRITIATED COMPOUNDS TO VERIFY THE IMMOBILIZATION OF EACH FACTOR. THEN APPROPRIATE IN VITRO BIOCOMPATIBILITY STUDIES WILL BE CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE WHETHER EACH IMMOBILIZED FACTOR EITHER PROMOTES ATTACHMENT AND OVERGROWTH OF FIBROBLASTS AND/OR EPITHELIAL CELLS OR INHIBITS BACTERIAL GROWTH. FINALLY TOXICITY ASSAYS AND PRELIMINARY IN VIVO STUDIES WILLBE CONDUCTED. MORE EXTENSIVE IN VIVO STUDIES ARE PLANNED FOR PHASE II. PROOF-OF-CONCEPT OF THIS TECHNOLOGY SHOULD ALLOW THE DEVELOPMENT OF LONG-DWELLING CATHETERS WITH IMPROVED TISSUE COMPATIBILITY AND GREATLY REDUCED PROBLEMS WITH INFECTIONS.