The application of minimally invasive devices with nanostructured surface functionalization: Antisticking behavior on devices and liver tissue interface in rat

This study investigated the thermal injury and adhesion property of a novel electrosurgery of liver using copper-doped diamond-like carbon (DLC-Cu) surface treatment. It is necessary to reduce the thermal damage of surrounding tissues for clinical electrosurgeries. The surface morphologies of stainless steel (SS) coated with DLC (DLC-Cu-SS) films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Bionic liver models were reconstructed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to simulate electrosurgery. Cell cytotoxicity assays showed that the DLC-Cu thin film was nontoxic. The temperature of tissue decreased significantly with use of the electrosurgical device with nanostructured DLC-Cu films and increased with increasing thickness of the films. Thermography revealed that the surgical temperature in the DLC-Cu-SS electrosurgical device was significantly lower than that in the untreated device in the animal model. Moreover, compared to the SS electrosurgical device, the DLC-Cu-SS electrosurgical device caused a relatively small injury area and lateral thermal effect. The results indicate that the DLC-Cu-SS electrosurgical device decreases excessive thermal injury and ensures homogeneous temperature transformation in the tissues.