Reduced Burst Release from ePTFE Grafts: A New Coating Method for Controlled Drug Release

Hemodialysis graft coated with paclitaxel prevents stenosis; however, large initial burst release of paclitaxel causes many negative effects such as drug toxicity and inefficient drug loss. Therefore we developed and tested a novel coating method, double dipping, to provide controlled and sustained release of paclitaxel locally. Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) grafts were dipped twice into a solution of several different paclitaxel concentrations. In vitro release tests of the double dipping method showed that early burst release could be somewhat retarded and followed by sustained release for a long time. We observed the effect of paclitaxel coating by double dipping in porcine model of arterio-venous (AV) grafts between the common carotid artery and the external jugular vein. 12 weeks after constructing AV grafts, cross sections of the graft venous anastomosis were obtained and analyzed. Paclitaxel coated ePTFE grafts by double dipping were observed to prevent neointimal hyperplasia and therefore reduced stenosis of the arteriovenous hemodialysis grafts, especially at the graft venous anastomosis sites. Our results demonstrate that second dipping of ePTFE graft, which was already coated once with paclitaxel, washes off the drug on a surface of the graft and affects the ratio of paclitaxel on the surface to that of the inner space, possibly by diffusion: thus the early burst of drug can be somewhat reduced.