Endothelial cell response to polyvinyl chloride-packaged GORETEX: effect of surface contamination

A Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic study of polyvinyl chloride packaged GORETEX vascular prostheses indicated that their internal and external surfaces were coated with an additive layer presumed to be derived from the polyvinyl chloride packaging. This layer was not removed by washing in phosphate buffered saline but was soluble in trimethyl pentane and hexane. Some other treatments of GORETEX and the packaging were shown to remove the contaminant from the surface and this correlated with an inferior in vitro aortic endothelial cell response. Analyses of materials extracted from both the polyvinyl chloride and the GORETEX surface indicated that the major surface component was a long chain aliphatic ester, either a plasticizer or a lubricant constituent.