Elaboration of Innovative Medical Devices by Dispersing Fatty Acid Eutectic Blends on Gauzes Using Supercritical CO2 Process

The loading of medical devices such as gauzes with Free Fatty Acids (FFAs) is an interesting solution for limiting bacterial infections during healing wounds. [1]. In order to design innovative Sustained Release Drug Delivery Systems, with thermosensitive properties, fatty acids eutectic blends which melt at near body temperature were selected, such as capric – myristic acids. [2]. Since a homogenous dispersion of the fatty acid blend is preferable, the process called Particle From Gas Saturated Solution “PGSS” has been selected. It has the following interests: i) to avoid the use of organic solvents, ii) to facilitate pulverization of melt solutions, iii) to require a low consumption of CO2 and lastly, iv) to result in high yields of precipitation. The main aim of this work was to evaluate the technical feasibility of gauzes impregnation/loading with eutectic fatty acids blends through PGSS. Particles generation by PGSS of capric – myristic acid blend at (3:1) molar ratio was carried out; the blend was melt at 313 K under 10 MPa, in presence of scCO2. After 1 hour mixing in the autoclave, the mixture was depressurized from 10 MPa to atmospheric pressure through a 1.6 mm diameter nozzle. First results are very interesting since gauzes were impregnated with a very thin and uniform layer of fatty acids blend. The powder obtained exhibits large size dispersion including nanoparticles at about 120 nm diameter with nozzle as large as 1.6 mm diameter. We currently study the influence of the blend type and of the operating conditions including pressure and temperature . The morphological characterization of the impregnated gauzes was evaluated and the solubility studies were carried out in these impregnated gauzes in physiologically like conditions. In addition, the cytotoxic profile of the matrices was analysed by using L929. Altogether, this study proves the technical feasibility of loading fatty acids eutectic blends on medical devices using PGSS.