Pulsed laser deposition of thin film hydroxyapatite. Applications for flexible catheters

Skin exit site infections are a major source of morbidity in patients with indwelling percutaneous catheters. Ceramic materials, such as hydroxyapatite (HA) and alumina, have demonstrated excellent biocompatibility and low rates of infection in soft tissues. Previous attempts to design ceramic materials for use as percutaneous connectors have resulted in rigid discs or solid cylindrical tubes. In order to take advantage of the inherent properties of HA without reducing patient comfort or mobility, the feasibility of applying a thin film of HA directly onto a flexible polymeric catheter was studied. The coating was applied by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The beam from a KrF excimer laser impinged upon a target of pressed and sintered HA, producing a plume of ablated material that was deposited onto the catheter tubing. By rotating the tubing, an even coating of HA was applied to the catheter at a thickness of approximately 0.50 microm. The coating did not compromise the flexibility of the catheter tubing. Hence, PLD of a thin film of HA at the exit site of percutaneous catheters may be a means of incorporating the bioactive and biocompatible properties of HA with the mobility and patient comfort that characterize polymeric catheters.