Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
19th International Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Conference (NanoTR-19), Ankara, Türkiye, 27 - 29 Ağustos 2025, ss.188, (Özet Bildiri)
Catheters have become one of the most widely used medical devices over the years due to their ease of application in various systems, including the
cardiac system, peripheral tissues, and urinary tract. Among the different types, urinary catheters stand out, as they are utilized both preoperatively for the
administration of medication and postoperatively for urine drainage. However, these advantages are accompanied by drawbacks such as the development
of infections and associated discomfort. One of the main reasons for this is the frequent contact of catheters with bacteria, particularly in the urinary
system. The most commonly encountered microorganism in such cases is Staphylococcus epidermidis. S. epidermidis, a Gram-positive bacterium with a
prevalence ranging from 0.2% to 4.0%, is particularly challenging to eliminate from the urinary system due to its resistance to both the host immune
response and antibiotic treatment. The primary objective of this study was to develop a protective thin film layer on urinary catheter surfaces to prevent S.
epidermidis colonization. Within this scope, polyethylene glycol (PEG) was selected as the coating material due to its proven biocompatibility and
antifouling properties. The thin film was deposited using the Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) technique, which offers several
advantages including high deposition efficiency, uniform surface coverage, minimal chemical consumption, compatibility with complex geometries, and
contamination-free coatings. In this process, PEG was introduced in vapor form and treated with plasma energy. Upon interaction with ionized plasma
particles, the PEG molecules were excited to higher energy states, resulting in the formation of a uniform nanometer-scale thin film on the surfaces. The
synthesized thin films were characterized using FTIR and XPS analyses. Subsequent to the coating and characterization process, the antifouling
performance of the catheters was evaluated against S. epidermidis. Microbiological analyses demonstrated that PEG-coated surfaces inhibited biofilm
development by approximately 90% over a period of 30 days. Furthermore, potential cytotoxic effects of the coatings were assessed using mouse fibroblast
cells, yielding a cell viability of 109%, indicating no cytotoxic response. In conclusion, the results confirmed that PEG-based thin film coatings are
effective in repelling bacterial colonization and maintaining their protective function for up to 30 days.