title: Increased connective tissue attachment to silicone implants by a water vapor plasma treatment.
abstract: Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is the most common type of silicone polymer for the fabrication of implantable medical devices. Because of its inherent hydrophobic nature, the PDMS surface does not readily promote cellular adhesion, which leads to diverse clinical issues. Previously, we reported a simple water vapor plasma treatment of PDMS surfaces that resulted in stable long-term wettability and excellent in vitro cell compatibility. In this work, we report investigation of the in vivo local responses to PDMS implants treated by water vapor plasma using a subcutaneous rat model. The local tissue responses were assessed after 2 and 4 weeks of implantation by means of macroscopic and histomorphometric analysis. After 2 weeks of implantation, the plasma-treated implants elicited the formation of fibrous tissue capsules that were significantly thinner, more adherent, and vascularized than the control counterparts. The improved cell adhesion was correlated with an increased amount of cells attached to the implant surface after retrieval. There was no difference in the inflammatory response between untreated and treated samples. This study provides a rational approach to optimize the long-term performance of silicone implants, which is likely to have a significant impact in clinical applications demanding enhanced tissue integration of the implants.
authors: Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7, DK-9220 Aalborg, Denmark.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Jensen
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Gurevich
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Patriciu
authors: J J
authors: JJ
authors: Struijk
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Zachar
authors: C P
authors: CP
authors: Pennisi
mesh_terms: D000268:Adhesiveness / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005549:Foreign-Body Reaction / Q000473:pathology; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods*; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D058626:Plasma Gases / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012828:Silicones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013227:Steam; D013499:Surface Properties / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D058626:Plasma Gases; D012828:Silicones; D013227:Steam