Water Infused Surface Protection as an Active Mechanism for Fibrin Sheath Prevention in Central Venous Catheters

Protein adhesion in central venous catheters (CVCs) leads to fibrin sheath formation, the precursor to thrombotic and biofilm‐related CVC failures. Advances in material properties and surface coatings do not completely prevent fibrin sheath formation and post‐formation treatment options are limited and expensive. We propose water infused surface protection (WISP), an active method for prevention of fibrin sheath formation on CVCs, which creates a blood‐free boundary layer on the inner surface of the CVC, limiting blood contact with the CVC lumen wall. A hollow fiber membrane (HFM) in a benchtop device served as a CVC testing model to demonstrate the WISP concept. Porcine blood was pumped through the HFM while phosphate buffered saline (PBS) was infused through the HFM wall, creating the WISP boundary layer. Protein adherences on model CVC surfaces were measured and imaged. Analytical and finite volume lubrication models were used to justify the assumption of a blood‐free boundary layer. We found a 92.2% reduction in average adherent protein density when WISP is used, compared with our model CVC without WISP flow. Lubrication models matched our experimental pressure drop measurements suggesting that a blood‐free boundary layer was created. The WISP technique also provides a novel strategy for drug administration for biofilm treatment. Reduction in adherent protein indicates a restriction on long‐term fibrin sheath and biofilm formation making WISP a promising technology which improves a wide range of vascular access treatments.