Cellular coating of the left ventricular assist device textured polyurethane membrane reduces adhesion of Staphylococcus aureus.
OBJECTIVE
Infections are among the most common and serious complications of ventricular assist device implantation. These infections generally occur within the first 2 months after surgery. The basis for this high incidence of infection is not well established, so a murine intravascular infection model was developed with aortic implantation of the textured polyurethane patch material currently used in HeartMate ventricular assist devices (Thoratec Corporation Pleasanton, Calif).


METHODS
Polyurethane patch material was placed in the wall of the mouse descending aorta. Mice were then infected with Staphylococcus aureus 1 or 14 days after implantation. In vitro adhesion studies were conducted with polyurethane membranes coated with endothelial cells and membranes coated with fibrinogen.


RESULTS
Mice were susceptible to infection in both dose- and time-dependent fashions. The patch material was significantly more susceptible to infection at day 1 than day 14. Immunohistologic and morphologic studies demonstrated that the CD31+ cells deposited on the membrane surface phenotypically appeared to be endothelial cells. In vitro adhesion studies of polyurethane membranes coated with endothelial cells showed them to be less susceptible to S. aureus binding than were membranes coated with fibrinogen.


CONCLUSIONS
Textured polyurethane membranes are less susceptible to infection as cellular deposition occurs. The time frame within which these membranes become populated with cellular material is consistent with the time-dependent clinical incidence of infection. Cellular coating of polyurethane may provide a strategy for reducing the risk of infection.
Asai
Tomohiro
T
Department of Surgery, New York Presbyterian Hospital, College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
Lee
Mei-Ho
MH
Arrecubieta
Carlos
C
von Bayern
Manuel Prinz
MP
Cespedes
Christian A
CA
Baron
Helen M
HM
Cadeiras
Martin
M
Sakaguchi
Taichi
T
Marboe
Charles C
CC
Naka
Yoshifumi
Y
Deng
Mario C
MC
Lowy
Franklin D
FD
D000818:Animals; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D005340:Fibrinogen; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices / Q000382:microbiology*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011140:Polyurethanes; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D013499:Surface Properties
D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011140:Polyurethanes; D005340:Fibrinogen