Surface-immobilized polyethylene oxide for bacterial repellence

• Published in: Biomaterials Vol. 13; no. 7; p. 417
• Main Authors: Desai, N P, Hossainy, S F, Hubbell, J A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands 1992
• Subjects: Bacterial Adhesion; Bacterial Infections - prevention & control; Biocompatible Materials; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Materials Testing; Polyethylene Glycols; Polyethylene Terephthalates; Prostheses and Implants - adverse effects; Pseudomonas aeruginosa - physiology; Staphylococcus aureus - physiology; Staphylococcus epidermidis - physiology; Surface Properties; Surgical Wound Infection - prevention & control
• ISSN: 0142-9612
• DOI: 10.1016/0142-9612(92)90160-P

Polyethylene terephthalate films were surface-modified with polyethylene oxide (18,500 g/mol) using a solution technique described previously. These films were investigated for their resistance to bacterial adhesion. Three bacterial strains most commonly associated with implant infections, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, were cultured in tryptic soya broth, human plasma and human serum on the polymeric substrates. Significant reductions (between 70 and 95%) in adherent bacteria were observed on the polyethylene oxide-modified substrates compared to the untreated control polyethylene terephthalate. Surface modification with polyethylene oxide may reduce the risk of implant-associated infections. Plasma fibrinogen was observed to play an important role in the adhesion of all three of these species on both the polyethylene oxide-modified and control polyethylene terephthalate materials.