A Technology for Anti-Thrombogenic Drug Coating of Small-Diameter Biodegradable Vascular Prostheses.

The aim of the study was to develop a technology for anti-thrombogenic drug coating of biodegradable porous scaffolds and to evaluate the physicomechanical and hemocompatible properties of functionally active vascular prostheses with and without a drug coating.

Materials and methods: Vascular prostheses from polyhydroxybutyrate/valerate and polycaprolactone with the incorporated vascular endothelial growth factor, the main fibroblast growth factor, and the chemoattractant SDF-1α were made by emulsion electrospinning. Additional surface modification of the prostheses was carried out by forming a hydrogel coating of polyvinylpyrrolidone capable of binding drugs as a result of complexation. Unfractionated heparin and iloprost were used as anti-thrombogenic drugs.

Results: We show that after the modification of vascular prostheses with heparin and iloprost, a 5.8-fold increase in the Young's modulus value was noted, which indicated a greater stiffness of these grafts compared to the unmodified controls. Platelet aggregation on the surface of heparin + iloprost coated vascular prostheses was 3.3 times less than that with the unmodified controls, and 1.8 times less compared to intact platelet-rich plasma. The surface of vascular prostheses with heparin and iloprost was resistant to adhesion of platelets and blood proteins.

Conclusion: Drug (unfractionated heparin and iloprost) coating of the surface of biodegradable prostheses significantly improved the anti-thrombogenic properties of these grafts but contributed to the increased stiffness of the prostheses.