Advanced Drug-Eluting Poly (Vinyl Chloride) Surfaces Deposited by Spin Coating

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Engineering
• Surface Science
• Medical Device Technology

Background:

• Medical devices like catheters are prone to bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation, leading to infections and device failure.
• Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a common, affordable biomaterial used in medical devices, but its surface properties can be improved.
• Reducing bacterial colonization on implanted devices is crucial for patient safety and treatment efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To modify the surface of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to mitigate side effects associated with medical devices.
• To incorporate the anticoagulant dicoumarol into a PVC surface layer to enhance biocompatibility.
• To evaluate the impact of surface modification on bacterial adhesion, protein adhesion, and salt deposition.

Main Methods:

• PVC surfaces were modified using spin coating to deposit a thin PVC layer containing dicoumarol.
• Surface characterization included Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) microscopy/spectroscopy, UV-VIS spectroscopy, and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).
• Bacterial adherence was tested using Gram-positive (S. aureus) and Gram-negative (P. aeruginosa) bacterial strains.

Main Results:

• The modified PVC surfaces exhibited a smooth morphology with uniform dicoumarol distribution.
• Dicoumarol release was dependent on deposition parameters, influencing surface properties.
• The modified PVC demonstrated reduced protein adhesion and enhanced resistance to bacterial adherence compared to unmodified PVC.

Conclusions:

• Surface modification of PVC with dicoumarol is a viable strategy to improve biocompatibility for medical devices.
• The developed method effectively reduces bacterial and protein adhesion, crucial for preventing device-related complications.
• Further optimization of dicoumarol concentration and release kinetics can tailor the material for specific medical applications.