PLATELET DEPOSITION ON EPTFE GRAFTS COATED WITH FIBRIN GLUE WITH OR WITHOUT FGF-1 AND HEPARIN

Introduction. The disappointing long-term patency of small-caliber pro sthetic grafts may be due in part to early thrombogenicity of the pros thetic surface. We previously reported that the coating of expanded po lytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) with fibrin glue (FG) containing fibrobl ast growth factor type 1 (FGF-1) and heparin accelerated spontaneous e ndothelial coverage of ePTFE grafts in an animal model; however, FG's effect on platelets remains unclear. This study was done to evaluate p latelet deposition onto FG/FGF-1/heparin-coated vs FG-coated vs whole- blood-preclotted ePTFE surfaces. Methods. Twelve 5-cm ePTFE grafts wer e treated either with FG (thrombin, 0.32 U/ml, and fibrinogen, 32.1 mg /ml, n = 8) or with FG containing FGF-1 (11 ng/ml) plus heparin (250 U /ml, n = 4). Twelve control ePTFE grafts were preclotted with canine ( n = 8) or human (n = 4) whole blood. These treated grafts were placed onto a loop pulsatile perfusion system in pairs (preclotted with eithe r FG or FG/FGF-1/heparin) and perfused with a M-199/10% FBS/(111)indiu m-labeled platelet suspension. After 60 min the grafts were gamma coun ted and CPM/mm(2) were determined. Results. In both trials, the preclo tted ePTFE grafts demonstrated similarly increased platelet deposition when compared to grafts treated with FG/FGF-1/heparin or FG alone (P < 0.001 for each). Conclusion. The decrease in platelet deposition on the FG/FGF-1/heparin-coated grafts vs preclotted grafts is not due to heparin and is not specific to canine or human platelets. FG-coated gr afts may induce a decrease in early graft thrombogenicity when compare d to whole blood preclotting. (C) 1997 Academic Press.