antithrombogenic

Antithrombogenic refers to the characteristic of a material or surface that prevents or inhibits the formation of a thrombus, which is a blood clot. When blood comes into contact with foreign surfaces, such as those found in medical devices, it can activate the coagulation cascade, leading to platelet adhesion, aggregation, and fibrin formation, ultimately resulting in thrombus formation. An antithrombogenic surface actively resists these processes.

Achieving antithrombogenicity is crucial for the successful and safe implementation of many biomedical devices, including artificial heart valves, vascular grafts, stents, and extracorporeal circuits used in dialysis or cardiopulmonary bypass. Thrombosis on these devices can lead to serious complications, such as device malfunction, occlusion, embolism, and potentially life-threatening events for the patient.

Various strategies are employed to make surfaces antithrombogenic. These include modifying the surface chemistry to be more biocompatible, for example, by creating smooth surfaces or coating them with materials that mimic the natural lining of blood vessels, such as endothelial cells or heparin. Other approaches involve using specific polymers or biomolecules that can repel platelets or inhibit the coagulation factors. The development of effective antithrombogenic materials is an ongoing area of research and innovation in the field of biomaterials and medical device design.