Shreyash P's Senior Project Blog

Project Title: Anti-Fog Strategy Via Surface Energy Engineering Using New Hyper-Hydrophilic Coatings: Model And Application to Lenses in Medical Devices BASIS Advisor: William Schaffer Internship Location: Banner Health Onsite Mentor: Professor Nicole Herbots - Emeritus Professor at ASU

Project Abstract

During human cavity surgeries, doctors use a thin, tube-like camera (an endoscope) to see inside the body. However, these cameras can easily fog up due to many reasons – difference in temperature causes humidity or moisture from the patient’s body. When the camera fogs, surgeons have to repeatedly pull it out to clean it, which can increase the risk of infection, contamination, surgery time, and extra scar tissue. In the past, other anti-fog coatings –FRED and Clearify – either didn’t last long enough or took too long to dry, leading surgeons to clean the camera lens often. Our solution is to create a medical device ClearEndoscope™ that holds the improved gel KnoxFog™ without needing a separate drying step. We are looking to create a solution that in one apply can prevent fogging for over two hours. ClearEndoscope™ is a ready-to-use applicator device that holds the anti-fog gel, KnoxFog™.. This gel has “hyper-hydrophilic” properties, meaning it pulls water droplets into a thin layer, flattening the water droplets that form on the lens and preventing elliptical distortion. Once this product is finalized and made available, it could benefit hospitals worldwide – especially in areas with fewer resources – by reducing the times surgeons have to remove, clean, and reinsert the camera, in turn helping to lower risks of infection and scarring. This research has applications outside of the medical field with preventative commercial uses for windshields, glasses, lenses, etc.