Real-Time Visualization of Platelet Interaction With Micro Structured Surfaces.

Improving the hemocompatibility of artificial implants by micro structuring their surfaces has shown promising results, but the mechanisms which lead to this improvement are not yet understood. Therefore, we built a test setup for real-time visualization of platelet interaction with a plain and two micro structured surfaces. The micro structures, defined by the distance of the plain surface area between the structures, were chosen to be 3 and 30 μm, representing a positive and a negative effect on the hemocompatibility.

A simple method for the investigation of cell separation effects of blood with physiological hematocrit values.

Even though the separation of blood into erythrocyte-rich and erythrocyte-poor areas is well known in physiological setups such as small vessels, it has recently come into focus in small gaps in cardiovascular applications. Studies show that separation effects occur, for example, in gaps in hydrodynamic bearings, where they can have a positive effect on hemolysis. Separation effects depend on the hematocrit value, but due to visualization issues, studies in small gaps used very low hematocrit values.

Micro-structuring of polycarbonate-urethane surfaces in order to reduce platelet activation and adhesion.

In the development of new hemocompatible biomaterials, surface modification appears to be a suitable method in order to reduce the thrombogenetic potential of such materials. In this study, polycarbonate-urethane (PCU) tubes with different surface microstructures to be used for aortic heart valve models were investigated with regard to the thrombogenicity. The surface structures were produced by using a centrifugal casting process for manufacturing PCU tubes with defined casting mold surfaces which are conferred to the PCU surface during the process.