Hemocompatibility of Degrading Polymeric Biomaterials: Degradable Polar Hydrophobic Ionic Polyurethane versus Poly(lactic-co-glycolic) Acid

Abstract

The use of degradable polymers in vascular tissue regeneration has sparked the need to characterize polymer biocompatibility during degradation. While tissue compatibility has been frequently addressed, studies on polymer hemocompatibility during degradation are limited. The current study evaluated the differences in hemocompatibility (platelet response, complement activation, and coagulation cascade initiation) between as-made and hydrolyzed poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) and degradable polar hydrophobic ionic polyurethane (D-PHI). Platelet activation decreased (in whole blood) and platelet adhesion decreased (in blood without leukocytes) for degraded versus as-made PLGA. D-PHI showed minimal hemocompatibility changes over degradation. Leukocytes played a major role in mediating platelet activation for samples and controls, as well as influencing platelet-polymer adhesion on the degraded materials. This study demonstrates the importance of assessing the blood compatibility of biomaterials over the course of degradation since the associated changes in surface chemistry and physical state could significantly change biomaterial hemocompatibility.

Blood Compatibility of Hydrophilic Polyphosphoesters

“…The influence of polymers on blood coagulation, as well as the interaction with platelets and RBCs were recently investigated in various polymers proposed for biomedical applications. − In the current work, hemocompatibility assays were performed on the samples using fresh blood collected from consented donors at the University of British Columbia.…”

Preliminary hemocompatibility assessment of an innovative material for blood contacting surfaces

“…Platelet activation can be triggered upon contact with any surface different from the healthy endothelium: both adhesion and consequent activation have been measured by microscopy [20,21]. In other studies, hemocompatibility was investigated by assessing platelet adhesion and complement activation [22]. In the present work, platelet activation was estimated by measuring the expression of P-selectin after human blood incubation with different materials, including the one intended for cardiovascular applications.…”

Feasibility study of use of rabbit blood to evaluate platelet activation by medical devices

“…We found that, after 24 h of exposure, the concentrations of molecular markers were significantly different from those of the blank control for rabbit and human blood. The increase in the concentrations of molecular markers may be related to the physical and chemical properties of the surface of the materials [21][22][23], including surface roughness and molecular structure (Fig. 1).…”