IUVSTA 15th International Vacuum Congress (IVC-15), AVS 48th International Symposium (AVS-48), 11th International Conference on Solid Surfaces (ICSS-11)
    Biomaterials Tuesday Sessions
       Session BI-TuA

Paper BI-TuA6
Surface Modification of Poly(Vinyl Chloride) Intubation Tubes to Control Bacterial Adhesion

Tuesday, October 30, 2001, 3:40 pm, Room 102

Session: Non Fouling Surfaces and Theoretical Concepts
Presenter: D.J. Balazs, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology - Lausanne, Switzerland
Authors: D.J. Balazs, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology - Lausanne, Switzerland
Y. Chevolot, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology - Lausanne, Switzerland
K. Triandafillu, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology - Lausanne, Switzerland
H. Harms, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology - Lausanne, Switzerland
C. Hollenstein, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology - Lausanne, Switzerland
H.J. Mathieu, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology - Lausanne, Switzerland
Correspondent: Click to Email
Bacterial colonization of intubation tubes is responsible for 30% of all nosocomial pneumonia cases, 40 % of which lead to death, despite aggressive antibiotic therapy.@footnote1@ Therefore, a strategy to reduce bacterial adhesion is desirable. We are developing an approach based on the surface modification of the polymer used for this application, medical grade poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC). The strategy is to mask the PVC substrate with a chemically inert teflon-like fluoropolymer layer, which serves as an ideal platform for further surface modification due to its low surface energy.@footnote 2@ Protein@footnote 3@ and bacterial@footnote 4@ repellant molecules, e.g. amphiphilic Pluronics@super R@, are bound to the fluoropolymer films using hydrophobic-hydrophobic interactions. This paper investigates fluoropolymer films created on PVC substrates through plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The films are deposited in an RF-plasma reactor, using C@sub 2@F@sub 6@ as a precursor and H@sub 2@ as a carrier gas. XPS data suggest that the films completely mask the substrate, as no remaining signatures of PVC are detectable. Moreover, alpha step measurements show a uniform film, with a thickness of approx. 200 nm. The fluoropolymer films were found to be highly hydrophobic, with a water contact angle > 100 °. Preliminary contact angle measurements of the Pluronic@super R@ surfaces show a significant decrease in contact angle, (approx. 20 °) indicating adhesion to the fluoropolymer layer. Feedback from imaging XPS is then used to optimize Pluronic@super R@ monolayer formation on the fluoropolymer film. Protein adsorption and in vitro bacterial adhesion studies will also be reported. @FootnoteText@ @footnote 1@ J. L. Vincent et al (1995) JAMA 274: 639-644 @footnote 2@ I. Noh et al (1997) J Polym Sci Pol Chem 35: 1499-1514 @footnote 3@ M. Paulsson et al (1993) Biomaterials 14: 845-853 @footnote 4@ M. J. Bridgett et al (1992) Biomaterials 13: 411-416.