Study of plasma processes to obtain bactericidal and/or bacteriostatic nanostructured materials to coat surgical polypropylene meshes

• Grant number: 11/14038-4
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: November 01, 2011
• End date: October 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Biomedical Engineering - Bioengineering
• Principal Investigator: Marcos Massi
• Grantee: Marcos Massi
• Host Institution: Divisão de Ciências Fundamentais (IEF). Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica (ITA). Ministério da Defesa (Brasil). São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Ana Maria Alvim Liberatore ; Argemiro Soares da Silva Sobrinho ; Choyu Otani ; Homero Santiago Maciel ; Ivan Hong Jun Koh ; Jose Elias Matieli ; Luiz Gonzaga de Freitas Filho ; Priscila Larcher Longo

Abstract

The use of meshes for large abdominal defects treatments has increased significantly since 1958, when Usher used a polypropylene mesh 1,2. Despite of the continued use, the available meshes cannot be considered ideal, since up to 8% of the cases presents organic reactions, causing physical and psychological consequences in the patients 3-5. In order to reduce the post surgery complications, nanostructured carbon and silver films or silver nanoparticles will be deposited on the polypropylene meshes by cold plasmas6-8, which modify the surface characteristics of the meshes without change their physical and mechanical properties. A biocompatible material (amorphous carbon film) will be firstly deposited on the mesh, and after silver nanoparticles will be dispersed in a controlled way, in order to add bacteriostatic and/or bactericidal properties to the meshes, reducing the incidence and/or magnitude of infectious complications. (AU)