| Abstract Scope |
Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters (PICC) are thin, flexible tubes that provide fluids and drugs to areas of the body where intravenous access has become difficult. Without X-ray fluoroscopy to guide the PICC in real time, physicians have difficulty placing the PICCs at the patient’s bedside, resulting in malpositioning incidents in 10-85% of insertions. Ultrasound has been sought as a potential alternative, but signals weaken drastically at small sizes, making PICCs difficult to locate. Adding a more echogenic material into the catheters can increase the overall signal. We have been developing polyurethane composites loaded with several different particles, including hydroxyapatite and clay, with the goal of improving echogenicity without compromising mechanical performance. We aim to determine the optimal particle size and loading that maximizes echogenicity, using SEM, DSC and ultrasound to confirm results. Initial results show minimal increase in signal-to-noise, indicating a limited echogenic boost from the particles. |