Urinary tract infections associated with urinary drainage catheters are a significant clinical problem resulting in a prolonged hospital stay and an increased mortality risk. This proposal addresses a feasibility study to determine if surface modification of the catheter will inhibit bacterial migration. The proposed research will test the hypothesis that bacterial migration is a direct function of surface adherence. Five different surface treatments will be applied to silicone rubber urinary catheters to minimize bacterial adhesion. The catheters will be characterized by microscopy, ESCA and contact angle analysis. In vitro bacterial migration will be determined using a migration model developed for Biomaterials International. Stability of the surface treatments will also be evaluated as a function of ethylene oxide sterilization and storage time.
