PVA TePla’s low pressure or atmospheric plasma systems are used to improve wettability, bondability, printability and also to improve uniformity and lifetime of catheter coatings. Our systems provide plasma deposition capabilities of hydrophilic and lubricious coatings. One key area of catheter treatment is the increase of biocompatibity in vivo, for example the issue of thrombogenisis (the propensity of a surface to form or initiate blood clotting) must be addressed. Many unmodified materials encourage protein binding and thus initiate the process of clot formation. To combat this process, anti-thrombin coatings are applied to in vivo devices, however, such coatings often fail to bind to the polymer surface. Gas Plasma treatment significantly improves the binding affinities of the coatings by specifically modifying surfaces. This is achieved by chemically functionalizing an otherwise inert surface. The treatment process is unique for specific base materials, composition of the anti-thrombin, and expected product lifetime. When catheters are implanted into the body, blood clots may develop and lead to premature catheter replacement. Much work has been applied to this application and results show that plasma treatments are able to maintain residence in the body longer than their untreated counterparts. Animal test results on polyurethane catheters that were surface modified by plasma and then heparin coated revealed no protein attachment after 30 days indwelling. Simultaneous testing of polyurethane catheters treated but left uncoated, revealed only slight protein attachment while the untreated and uncoated control catheters displayed severe thrombus formation.
