Investigation of cavitation-induced damage on PDMS films

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are complex phenomena that create epidemic healthcare and financial concerns. Recent studies have theorized that cavitation exists during a TBI and has potential to induce significant damage to the surrounding anatomy. This study seeks to implement polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) films as a placeholder of the brain to elucidate the damage that the surrounding brain tissue would experience from nearby cavitation. The apparatus includes an existing methodology that implements controlled cavitation. 3D confocal microscopy and interferometry techniques are used to characterize the surface damage to the PDMS films. Visual representation and roughness parameters on the nanoscale help elucidate a distinct difference between control and experimental samples. These results help legitimize the concern of cavitation in the skull and also help motivate future studies to analyze the cellular response to surrounding cavitation.