Biocompatibility of Al2O3-Doped Diamond-like Carbon Laparoscope Coatings

Laparoscopic lens fogging and contamination pose significant challenges, leading to a reduced surgical field of view. Intraoperative cleaning to address these issues extends the surgical duration and elevates the risk of surgical site infections. The authors propose that a hydrophilic diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating would effectively mitigate fogging and fouling, thereby eliminating the requirement for intraoperative cleaning, while the scratch-resistant nature of DLC would provide additional benefits. The present study investigates the efficacy of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) as a dopant in diamond-like carbon (DLC) films for antifogging applications. The authors hypothesized that adding oxygen to the DLC matrix would increase surface energy by increased hydrogen bonding, resulting in a highly hydrophilic coating. Varying dopant concentrations were tested to observe their effects on hydrophilicity, transparency, biocompatibility, and wear properties. The doped films displayed a notable improvement in transparency throughout the visible spectrum. Plasma-cleaned samples demonstrated a substantial reduction in contact angles, achieving values less than 8°. The biocompatibility of these films was analyzed with CellTiter-Glo assays; the films demonstrated statistically similar levels of cell viability when compared to the control media. The absence of adenosine triphosphate released by blood platelets in contact with the DLC coatings suggests in vivo hemocompatibility. These films, characterized by high transparency, biocompatibility, and biostability, could be valuable for biomedical applications necessitating transparent coatings.