Modification of Polymer Surfaces using a Femtosecond Laser to Prevent Bacteria Colonization in Endotracheal Tubes

This Phase I SBIR develops and tests an approach for Modification of Polymer Surfaces using a Femtosecond Laser to Prevent Bacteria Colonization in Endotracheal TubesProblem to be solvedThe Centers for Disease Control reports that more thanmillion people in the U Sare infected by antibiotic resistant bacteriaARBannuallywith estimated direct healthcare costs near $billionMorbiditymortalityand care costs are expected to parallel the upward trend of bacterial virulence and antibiotic resistanceMany common support devicessuch as endotracheal tubesETTscentral venous cathetersand nasoenteric feeding tubesare prone to infiltration by microbesETTswith overM annual in patient intubationsinrepresent a major risk areasince the rate of ventilator associated pneumoniaVAPisof patientsand in the intensive care unit VAP is the most common and fatal infectionRisk mitigation methodssuch as aseptic techniquesare limited by complianceand antiseptics and antibioticsthough often effectivecan have unintended effects on bacteria resilience and environmental toxicityAn approach is needed that produces long term bacteria inactivation around and inside support devices without the use of unsafe chemicalsGap in KnowledgeModifying surface texture and chemistry has had mixed results in killing bacteriaActuated MedicalIncAMIproposes that a primary reason for inconsistent outcomes is difficulty using viable methods for producing ideal topography with conventional substrates for the clinical applicationAMI will use its expertise in medical devicespolymersand endotracheal tubesand collaborate with an immunology expert from The Pennsylvania State University and laser machining experts from Laser for Innovative Solutions Inc to demonstrate an ETT surface structure capable of chemical freebactericidal action on three prevalent microbes that cause ventilator associated nosocomial infectionsPhase I HypothesisLaser surface patterning of ETT prototype demonstrates significantly less viable ventilator associated bacterial load overhour exposures in vitroSpecific AimsAimDemonstrate high qualityD nano patterning on medical polymersAcceptance CriteriaAbility to patterncmarea withnm featuresas confirmed with scanning electron microscopythat maintainintegrity after exposure to realistic ventilation conditionsAimDetermine optimum bactericidal surface preparation sfor relevant microbes through design of experimentAcceptance CriteriaAt least one surface preparation shows at leastlogfewer viable colony forming unitsCFUsof PaeruginosaSaureusand Abaumannii relative to control surfacesAimDemonstratelog bacteria reduction in ETT form factorAcceptance CriteriaETT tube section with optimized laser pattern maintains at leastlogfewer colony forming units of bacteria overhours relative to control surfaces in biofilm inducing conditions in vitro Project NarrativeRelevanceThe Centers for Disease Control reports that more thanmillion people in the U Sare infected by antibiotic resistant bacteria annuallywith estimated direct healthcare costs near $billionMorbiditymortalityand care costs are expected to parallel the upward trend of bacterial virulence and antibiotic resistanceMany common support devicessuch as endotracheal tubesETTscentral venous cathetersand nasoenteric feeding tubesare prone to infiltration by microbesModifying surface texture and chemistry has had mixed results in killing bacteriaThis project will build a microbicidal barrierspecific for ETT bacteriaon the distal and proximal ends of the ETTboth inside and outside the tube