NEW SURFACE-TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES FOR CATHETERS USED FOR EXTRACORPOREAL DETOXIFICATION METHODS

Infection, thrombosis, and stenosis ave among the most common complica tions of blood-contacting catheters and are caused by surface properti es of the substrate materials. Ion beam-based processes such as ion im plantation (silicone rubber) and ion beam-assisted deposition (silver- based coatings) affect only the outer micron of the treated material s urface; there is little effect on bulk properties. These processes the refore were used on common catheter materials-specifically, on large-b ore catheters used for extracorporeal detoxification methods. In a pro spective study involving 58 patients, 67 surface-treated catheters (Sp i-Silicone, n=28; Spi-Argent (silver) I, n=22, Spi-Argent (silver) II, n=17) were inserted into the internal jugular and subclavian veins an d after their removal, examined with a scanning electron microscope fo r bacterial colonization. Bacterial colonization was observed in 8.9% of these catheters as contrasted with 38.1% of the untreated catheters . The scanning electron microscope investigations showed low thromboge nicity in all of the treated catheters. The ion beam-based processes m ade the surface-treated catheters thrombus and infection resistant.