North American Suppliers Directory Index MetroLine Industries Inc. 251 Corporate Terr. Unfortunately, although products manufactured from these materials may be fabricated to meet specific physical or mechanical requirements, interactions in the laboratory or within the body often limit their performance. In instances where materials fail to provide the required level of compatibility, the process of surface modification frequently enables achievement of biocompatibility.
Many unmodified materials encourage protein binding and thus initiate the process of clot formation.
To combat this process, antithrombin coatings are often applied to the material, but when dealing with plastics and polymers these antithrombin coatings often fail to effectively bind to the target surface. The process variables are dependant upon a range of factors including specific substrate or base materials, composition of the antithrombin and the expected product lifetime. Results, in a number of applications, have shown that plasma modified surfaces are able to maintain residence in the body longer than their unmodified counterparts. Successful Results Non-attachment on polyurethane catheters. Animal test results of this process on polyurethane catheters that were surface modified and heparin coated revealed no protein attachment after a 30-day indwelling.