Bloodcompatible

Blood-compatible is an adjective used to describe materials or surfaces that can contact blood with minimal adverse reactions. In medical contexts, a blood-compatible material should limit hemolysis, coagulation, platelet activation, inflammation, and protein adsorption, thereby reducing thrombosis and immune responses during exposure or long-term implantation.

Common applications include intravascular devices such as catheters and stents, vascular grafts, dialysis membranes, extracorporeal circuits, blood storage components, and blood-sensing instruments. Materials selected for these roles aim to maintain safety and functionality under physiological flow and shear conditions.

Assessment involves a combination of in vitro and in vivo testing. Standard in vitro assays evaluate hemolysis, platelet adhesion and activation, coagulation times, thrombin generation, complement activation, and protein adsorption. These are complemented by animal studies and flow-loop simulations to approximate clinical conditions. Biocompatibility standards in this area are guided by frameworks such as ISO 10993 for blood-contacting devices, along with regulatory requirements from agencies like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency.

Strategies to improve blood compatibility include surface modifications and coatings, such as heparin or bioactive coatings, hydrophilic or zwitterionic surface chemistries, and nitric oxide releasing materials. Other approaches involve endothelialization, plasma treatment, and graft polymerization to reduce protein adsorption and platelet activation.

Limitations remain. No material is perfectly blood-compatible, and long-term use can still provoke coagulation, inflammation, or device failure. Blood compatibility depends on device design, surface chemistry, flow dynamics, and patient-specific factors, and is a central consideration in device development and regulatory evaluation.