Surface-modified acrylic polymers in artificial heart pumps

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Cardiovascular Engineering
• Surface Chemistry

Background:

• Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is used in cardiovascular devices.
• Surface interactions with blood can lead to coagulation, a critical issue in heart pump function.
• Reducing surface thrombogenicity is essential for improving the safety and efficacy of blood-contacting medical devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of a hydrophilization process on the coagulation activity of PMMA surfaces.
• To evaluate different chemical treatments for reducing the thrombogenicity of PMMA used in counterpulsation heart pump blood chambers.

Main Methods:

• PMMA blood chambers underwent hydrophilization using concentrated sulfuric acid and neutralization.
• Three variants of chemical treatment were applied: ethylenglycol (A), diethylenglycol (B), and glycerine (C).
• Experiments were conducted using 30 dogs, comparing treated PMMA pumps with untreated controls.

Main Results:

• The hydrophilization process was specifically designed to reduce the surface's coagulation activity.
• Comparative analysis was performed between treated and untreated PMMA surfaces in a physiological setting.
• The study utilized a canine model (30 dogs) to assess the in vivo performance and biocompatibility.

Conclusions:

• Hydrophilization of PMMA surfaces offers a promising strategy to mitigate blood coagulation.
• The tested chemical treatments (ethylenglycol, diethylenglycol, glycerine) demonstrate potential for enhancing the biocompatibility of PMMA-based cardiovascular devices.
• Further research into optimized surface modification techniques is warranted for improved hemocompatability in cardiac assist devices.