Prevention of Central Venous Catheter Associated Infections Using Boron Carbon Nitride (BCN) Thin Films

Abstract

Central line-associated blood stream infections (CLABSIs) are the infections caused due to use of central venous catheters in patients. Implanted catheters are susceptible to bacterial colonization, biofilm formation and consequently resulting in infection. CLABSIs continue being important and preventable health-care related infection. Of all the healthcare associated infections, CLABSIs make up to 250,000 cases per year in the US with mortality of up to 35% [1]. Additionally, these infections are associated with high hospital stay durations leading to extremely high cost burden accounting to ~$46,000 per case [2]. However, central venous catheters are imperative in delivery of fluids and medications and to monitor the patient health. Current approach to mitigate this problem heavily focusses on deposition of coatings, inhibiting bacterial adhesion and reducing biofilm formation.In this study, boron carbon nitride (BCN) coatings will be incorporated on central venous catheters for the first time. Boron carbon nitride (BCN) films have achieved attention owing to their crystal structure and unique properties. BCN compounds are expected to combine excellent properties of diamond, boron carbide and boron nitride with their properties adjustable depending on their composition and structure[3]. B-C-N ternary compounds have been reported previously for biological applications [4-7]. Influence of BCN coating on bacterial colonization of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria will be investigated. BCN films will be deposited using RF sputtering technique.