[New polymers, surface treatments, bioactive materials: value of vascular access devices]

Complications associated with hemodialysis vascular access are mainly due to a relative lack of biocompatibility and hemocompatibility of the materials used for the making of these devices, and to infection phenomena which may be induced by these devices. New compositions which can be processed into polymers, and a functionalisation of the latter aimed at endowing them with a specific ability to interact with molecular and cellular actors involved in the already mentioned lack of fiability on the one hand, and with infectious pathogens on the other, open the way to some improvement of the situation. Let us hope that device manufacturers will make sufficient efforts in order to see the technology transfers undertaken and completed.