Long term thromboresistance of heparinized surfaces

It has long been known that interaction of blood with artificial surfaces results in thrombogenic effects. With the increased use of prosthetic cardiovascular appliances, it is becoming more evident that surfaces which are thromboresistant are of utmost importance. A review is presented of the recent research on binding of heparin by ionic, covalent and thermal means, to different polymer surfaces, with the results of in vitro and in vivo tests. Additionally, a survey of theories on the role of heparin surfaces in thromboresistance is given.