PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF A SURFACE COATING PROCEDURE ON POLYURETHANE CATHETERS

Central venous catheters are widely used in clinical practice; however , complications such as Venous thrombosis or infection are frequent. T he physical and biological effects of a coating procedure designed to improve the blood-contacting properties of polyurethane central venous catheters (CVCs) were studied. The surface atomic composition of poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP)-coated or uncoated Pellethane(R) single lume n CVCs was characterized by electron spectroscopy for chemical analysi s (ESCA), which confirmed the presence of an oxygen-rich PVP layer on the former material. Topological analysis of both single and triple lu men CVCs by scanning force microscopy (SFM) revealed a very smooth sur face in PVP-coated catheters compared to the more frequent surface irr egularities found either in uncoated Pellethane(R) or in four addition al randomly selected, commercially available triple lumen polyurethane CVCs. The PVP-coated Pellethane(R) showed a strong reduction in eithe r fibrinogen or fibronectin adsorption compared to all other PVP-free polyurethane CVCs. This decreased protein adsorption led to a proporti onal reduction in protein-mediated adhesion of either Staphylococcus a ureus or Staphylococcus epidermidis and in the binding of a monoclonal antibody directed against the cell-binding domain of fibronectin. Inc reased surface smoothness and hydrophilic properties of polyurethane C VCs might decrease the risk of bacterial colonization and infection.