The role of polymer properties and design in the blood compatibility of cardiovascular prostheses

Hemocompatibility is not a characteristic depending only on chemical properties of polymers since it has been often observed that materials potentially hemocompatible with regards to their chemical structure, proved to be unsatisfactory for the fabrication of prostheses in contact with blood. During the last few years we studied the synthesis and characterization of new potentially hemocompatible thermoplastic elastomers (TPE ) and their use for the fabrication of both valvular and vascular prostheses. The results so far obtained for t he assessment of the role played by the physico-chemical properties of the polymers and by the design in determining the hemocompatibility of cardiovascular prostheses are presented.