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Hemocompatibility of styrenic block copolymers for use in prosthetic heart valves.


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Authors

Krajewski, Stefanie 
Wendel, Hans Peter 
Nair, Sukumaran 
Stasiak, Joanna 

Abstract

Certain styrenic thermoplastic block copolymer elastomers can be processed to exhibit anisotropic mechanical properties which may be desirable for imitating biological tissues. The ex-vivo hemocompatibility of four triblock (hard-soft-hard) copolymers with polystyrene hard blocks and polyethylene, polypropylene, polyisoprene, polybutadiene or polyisobutylene soft blocks are tested using the modified Chandler loop method using fresh human blood and direct contact cell proliferation of fibroblasts upon the materials. The hemocompatibility and durability performance of a heparin coating is also evaluated. Measures of platelet and coagulation cascade activation indicate that the test materials are superior to polyester but inferior to expanded polytetrafluoroethylene and bovine pericardium reference materials. Against inflammatory measures the test materials are superior to polyester and bovine pericardium. The addition of a heparin coating results in reduced protein adsorption and ex-vivo hemocompatibility performance superior to all reference materials, in all measures. The tested styrenic thermoplastic block copolymers demonstrate adequate performance for blood contacting applications.

Description

Keywords

Animals, Blood Cells, Butadienes, Cattle, Cell Survival, Coated Materials, Biocompatible, Elastomers, Heart Valve Prosthesis, Hematologic Tests, Hemolysis, Humans, Materials Testing, Pericardium, Polyenes, Polymers, Polystyrenes, Polytetrafluoroethylene

Journal Title

J Mater Sci Mater Med

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0957-4530
1573-4838

Volume Title

27

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Sponsorship
British Heart Foundation (SP/15/5/31548)
British Heart Foundation (None)
The authors would like to thank Michaela Braun for her laboratory support, BHF New Horizons Grant no. NH/11/4/29059 for providing financial support to this project and the Armstrong Fund (Cambridge) for a studentship. X-ray photoelectron spectra were obtained at the National EPSRC XPS User's Service (NEXUS) at Newcastle University, an EPSRC Mid-Range Facility.