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. 2023 Nov 8;16(22):7089.
doi: 10.3390/ma16227089.

Improving the Hydrophobicity of Plasticized Polyvinyl Chloride for Use in an Endotracheal Tube

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Improving the Hydrophobicity of Plasticized Polyvinyl Chloride for Use in an Endotracheal Tube

Lavinia Marcut et al. Materials (Basel). .

Abstract

An endotracheal tube (ETT) is a greatly appreciated medical device at the global level with widespread application in the treatment of respiratory diseases, such as bronchitis and asthma, and in general anesthesia, to provide narcotic gases. Since an important quantitative request for cuffed ETTs was recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns about infection have risen. The plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material used to manufacture ETTs favors the attachment of microorganisms from the human biological environment and the migration of plasticizer from the polymer that feeds the microorganisms and promotes the growth of biofilms. This leads to developing infections, which means additional suffering, discomfort for patients, and increased hospital costs. In this work, we propose to modify the surfaces of some samples taken from commercial ETTs in order to develop their hydrophobic character using surface fluorination by a plasma treatment in SF6 discharge and magnetron sputtering physical evaporation from the PTFE target. Samples with surfaces thus modified were subsequently tested using XPS, ATR-FTIR, CA, SEM + EDAX, profilometry, density, Shore A hardness, TGA-DSC, and biological antimicrobial and biocompatibility properties. The obtained results demonstrate a successful increase in the hydrophobic character of the plasticized PVC samples and biocompatibility properties.

Keywords: attachment of microorganisms on PVC; endotracheal tube; increasing the hydrophobicity of PVC; magnetron sputtering to coat PVC with PTFE; plasma treatment in SF6 discharge; plasticized PVC in medical devices.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Samples from the endotracheal tube.
Figure 2
Figure 2
XPS survey spectra for the (a) ED0, (b) ED1, and (c) ED2 samples.
Figure 2
Figure 2
XPS survey spectra for the (a) ED0, (b) ED1, and (c) ED2 samples.
Figure 3
Figure 3
FTIR analyses for the samples ED0, ED1, and ED2.
Figure 4
Figure 4
SEM microphotographs of the samples ED0 ((a) magnification 500×; (b) magnification 2000×), ED1 ((c) magnification 500×; (d) magnification 2000×), and ED2 ((e) magnification 500×; (f) magnification 2000×).
Figure 4
Figure 4
SEM microphotographs of the samples ED0 ((a) magnification 500×; (b) magnification 2000×), ED1 ((c) magnification 500×; (d) magnification 2000×), and ED2 ((e) magnification 500×; (f) magnification 2000×).
Figure 5
Figure 5
SEM microphotographs in the cross-section of the samples ED0 ((a) magnification 200×; (b) magnification 500×), ED1 ((c) magnification 200×; (d) magnification 500×), and ED2 ((e) magnification 200×; (f) magnification 500×) and the corresponding EDAX spectra.
Figure 5
Figure 5
SEM microphotographs in the cross-section of the samples ED0 ((a) magnification 200×; (b) magnification 500×), ED1 ((c) magnification 200×; (d) magnification 500×), and ED2 ((e) magnification 200×; (f) magnification 500×) and the corresponding EDAX spectra.
Figure 5
Figure 5
SEM microphotographs in the cross-section of the samples ED0 ((a) magnification 200×; (b) magnification 500×), ED1 ((c) magnification 200×; (d) magnification 500×), and ED2 ((e) magnification 200×; (f) magnification 500×) and the corresponding EDAX spectra.
Figure 6
Figure 6
(a,b) Photographic image of the determination of the contact angle by the sessile drop method for the control sample ED0; contact angle value for the control sample ED0 using distilled water as the wetting agent, respectively.
Figure 7
Figure 7
(a,b) Photographic image of the determination of the contact angle by the sessile drop method for the control sample ED1; contact angle value for the control sample ED1 using distilled water as the wetting agent, respectively.
Figure 8
Figure 8
(a,b) Photographic image of the determination of the contact angle by the sessile drop method for the control sample ED2; contact angle value for the sample ED2 using distilled water as the wetting agent, respectively.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Surface free energy (SFE) results computed based on the OWKR method for the three investigated samples.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Roughness parameters measured for the three investigated samples.
Figure 11
Figure 11
(a) TGA and (b) DSC thermogravimetric curves for the ED0, ED1, and ED2 samples.
Figure 12
Figure 12
Graphic representation of the log CFU/mL for the comparative evaluation of the anti-adherence and antibiofilm activity of the tested samples. The results were compared using two-way ANOVA and Dunnett’s multiple comparisons tests; p < 0.05; ** p < 0.001; *** p = 0.0001.
Figure 13
Figure 13
Graphic representing the cytocompatibility test results; there were no statistically significant differences between the samples and the control.

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