Intermittent Catheters with Integrated Amphiphilic Surfactant Reduce Urethral Microtrauma in an <i>Ex Vivo</i> Model Compared with Polyvinylpyrrolidone-Coated Intermittent Catheters

Intermittent catheterization mitigates urinary retention for over 300,000 people in the US every year, but can cause microtrauma in the urothelium, compromising its barrier function and increasing the risk of pathogen entry, which may affect user health. To reduce adverse effects, intermittent cathe...

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Main Authors: Luca Barbieri, Makhara S. Ung, Katherine E. Hill, Ased Ali, Laura A. Smith Callahan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Journal of Functional Biomaterials
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4983/16/7/256
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author Luca Barbieri
Makhara S. Ung
Katherine E. Hill
Ased Ali
Laura A. Smith Callahan
author_facet Luca Barbieri
Makhara S. Ung
Katherine E. Hill
Ased Ali
Laura A. Smith Callahan
author_sort Luca Barbieri
collection DOAJ
description Intermittent catheterization mitigates urinary retention for over 300,000 people in the US every year, but can cause microtrauma in the urothelium, compromising its barrier function and increasing the risk of pathogen entry, which may affect user health. To reduce adverse effects, intermittent catheters (ICs) with increased lubricity are used. A common strategy to enhance IC lubricity is to apply a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) coating to ICs; however, this coating can become adhesive upon drying, potentially leading to microtrauma. An alternative approach for lubricity is the migration of integrated amphiphilic surfactant (IAS) within the IC to the surface. The present work examines differences in urethral microtrauma caused by the simulated catheterization of <i>ex vivo</i> porcine urethral tissue using PVP-coated and IAS ICs. Scanning electron microscopy and fluorescence microscopy of the tissue showed the removal of the apical cell layer after contact with the PVP-coated ICs, but not the IAS IC. More extracellular matrices and DNA were observed on the PVP-coated ICs than the IAS IC after tissue contact. Contact angle analysis of the polar and dispersive components of the surface energy demonstrated that the PVP-coated ICs promoted mucoadhesion, while the IAS IC limited mucoadhesion. Overall, the results indicate that IAS ICs cause less microtrauma to urethral tissue than traditional PVP-coated ICs.
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institution Kabale University
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publishDate 2025-07-01
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series Journal of Functional Biomaterials
spelling doaj-art-144c8f83df8a4d2eb4ccdc3ad5f418f52025-08-20T03:58:29ZengMDPI AGJournal of Functional Biomaterials2079-49832025-07-0116725610.3390/jfb16070256Intermittent Catheters with Integrated Amphiphilic Surfactant Reduce Urethral Microtrauma in an <i>Ex Vivo</i> Model Compared with Polyvinylpyrrolidone-Coated Intermittent CathetersLuca Barbieri0Makhara S. Ung1Katherine E. Hill2Ased Ali3Laura A. Smith Callahan4Convatec Ltd., CTEC Deeside, First Avenue, Deeside Industrial Park, Deeside CH5 2NU, UKConvatec Ltd., CTEC Boston, 20 Maguire Road, Lexington, MA 02421, USAConvatec Ltd., CTEC Boston, 20 Maguire Road, Lexington, MA 02421, USAConvatec Ltd., CTEC Deeside, First Avenue, Deeside Industrial Park, Deeside CH5 2NU, UKConvatec Ltd., CTEC Boston, 20 Maguire Road, Lexington, MA 02421, USAIntermittent catheterization mitigates urinary retention for over 300,000 people in the US every year, but can cause microtrauma in the urothelium, compromising its barrier function and increasing the risk of pathogen entry, which may affect user health. To reduce adverse effects, intermittent catheters (ICs) with increased lubricity are used. A common strategy to enhance IC lubricity is to apply a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) coating to ICs; however, this coating can become adhesive upon drying, potentially leading to microtrauma. An alternative approach for lubricity is the migration of integrated amphiphilic surfactant (IAS) within the IC to the surface. The present work examines differences in urethral microtrauma caused by the simulated catheterization of <i>ex vivo</i> porcine urethral tissue using PVP-coated and IAS ICs. Scanning electron microscopy and fluorescence microscopy of the tissue showed the removal of the apical cell layer after contact with the PVP-coated ICs, but not the IAS IC. More extracellular matrices and DNA were observed on the PVP-coated ICs than the IAS IC after tissue contact. Contact angle analysis of the polar and dispersive components of the surface energy demonstrated that the PVP-coated ICs promoted mucoadhesion, while the IAS IC limited mucoadhesion. Overall, the results indicate that IAS ICs cause less microtrauma to urethral tissue than traditional PVP-coated ICs.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4983/16/7/256catheterpolyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)amphiphilic surfactantmucoadhesionurethra
spellingShingle Luca Barbieri
Makhara S. Ung
Katherine E. Hill
Ased Ali
Laura A. Smith Callahan
Intermittent Catheters with Integrated Amphiphilic Surfactant Reduce Urethral Microtrauma in an <i>Ex Vivo</i> Model Compared with Polyvinylpyrrolidone-Coated Intermittent Catheters
Journal of Functional Biomaterials
catheter
polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)
amphiphilic surfactant
mucoadhesion
urethra
title Intermittent Catheters with Integrated Amphiphilic Surfactant Reduce Urethral Microtrauma in an <i>Ex Vivo</i> Model Compared with Polyvinylpyrrolidone-Coated Intermittent Catheters
title_full Intermittent Catheters with Integrated Amphiphilic Surfactant Reduce Urethral Microtrauma in an <i>Ex Vivo</i> Model Compared with Polyvinylpyrrolidone-Coated Intermittent Catheters
title_fullStr Intermittent Catheters with Integrated Amphiphilic Surfactant Reduce Urethral Microtrauma in an <i>Ex Vivo</i> Model Compared with Polyvinylpyrrolidone-Coated Intermittent Catheters
title_full_unstemmed Intermittent Catheters with Integrated Amphiphilic Surfactant Reduce Urethral Microtrauma in an <i>Ex Vivo</i> Model Compared with Polyvinylpyrrolidone-Coated Intermittent Catheters
title_short Intermittent Catheters with Integrated Amphiphilic Surfactant Reduce Urethral Microtrauma in an <i>Ex Vivo</i> Model Compared with Polyvinylpyrrolidone-Coated Intermittent Catheters
title_sort intermittent catheters with integrated amphiphilic surfactant reduce urethral microtrauma in an i ex vivo i model compared with polyvinylpyrrolidone coated intermittent catheters
topic catheter
polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)
amphiphilic surfactant
mucoadhesion
urethra
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4983/16/7/256
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