PLATELET DEPOSITION AND FIBRINOGEN BINDING ON SURFACES COATED WITH HEPARIN OR FRICTION-REDUCING POLYMERS

The blood-contacting properties of polyethylene coated with a lubricio us, hydrophilic coating; an uncoated polyethylene; or a photoheparin-t reated polyethylene-negative control sample were compared by measuring fibrinogen adsorption, antifibrinogen binding, and platelet attachmen t from human plasma. The polyethylene surfaces coated with a hydrophil ic polymer were found to be similar to surfaces coated with heparin. F ibrinogen adsorption on the hydrophilic coating was 60% lower than ads orption on either the uncoated or heparin-coated polyethylene samples. Antifibrinogen binding from buffer to the hydrophilic coating was als o reduced more than 85% from binding to uncoated polyethylene samples. Both the hydrophilic coating and heparin coating showed a reduction i n platelet attachment by a factor of 100 over the uncoated sample as w ell as significantly reduced platelet activation.