Covalent Biofunctionalization of the Inner Surfaces of a Hollow-Fiber Capillary Bundle Using Packed-Bed Plasma Ion Implantation.

Hollow-fiber capillary bundles are widely used in the production of medical devices for blood oxygenation and purification purposes such as in cardiopulmonary bypass, hemodialysis, and hemofiltration, but the blood interfacing inner surfaces of these capillaries provide poor hemocompatibility. Here, we present a novel method of packed-bed plasma ion implantation (PBPII) for the modification of the inner surfaces of polymeric hollow-fiber bundles enclosed in a cassette. The method is simple and can be performed on an intact hollow-fiber bundle cassette by the placement of a hollow cylindrical electrode, connected to a negative high-voltage pulse generator, around the cassette.