Zabetakis PM, Dasgupta MK, Cotell CM
Hydroxyapatite-coated silastic peritoneal dialysis catheter implants in rabbits induce a greater degre of pericatheter tissue healing than uncoated silastic catheters
43rd Annual ASAIO Conference, Atlanta
ASAIO J (Apr) 43:79 1997

This is an interesting approach to the unrelenting problem of PD peritonitis and, especially, tunnel infections. A thin layer of hydroxyapatite on the catheter seems to induce a more vigorous reaction in the surrounding tissue, resulting in better healing and vascularization of the tunnel. This sounds like a promising idea. Presumably the coating can be limited to the intra-abdominal wall portion of the catheter, since a vigorous fibrotic reaction might not be terribly desirable within the peritoneal cavity.

This abstract brings up an interesting semantic question, with its use of the term "biocompatibility". What do we mean by this? One might think that this material was being demonstrated to be rather bio*IN*compatible; that is, inductive of an more vigorous tissue reaction. In this case, biocompatibility, if we define it as unreactivity with biological systems, seems actually to be an undesirable thing. (Robert H. Barth, M.D., VA Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY)

To go back use the BACK button on your browser.
Otherwise click on the desired link to this article below:
43rd Annual ASAIO Conference, Atlanta
Basic peritoneal dialysis : PD catheters