A new amphiphilic block co-polymer with improved elastomeric properties for application in various medical devices.

The authors have demonstrated that an amphiphilic block co-polymer composed of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and styrene (HEMA-st) showed excellent blood compatibility in in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo experiments. The poor elastomeric properties of HEMA-st, however, have been an obstacle to its wider application in medical devices. To improve the mechanical properties of HEMA-st, the authors have developed a new amphiphilic block co-polymer composed of HEMA and octylstyrene (HEMA-oct). The size and morphology of the microdomain structures of HEMA-oct observed by transmission electron microscopy were similar to those of HEMA-st. Kink resistance tests showed improved elastomeric properties of HEMA-oct over HEMA-st. The blood compatibility of HEMA-oct was evaluated using an in vitro flow cell system combined with an epifluorescent video microscope, in which real time platelet adhesion and activation in whole blood can be observed and quantified, and ex vivo rabbit A-A shunt experiments. HEMA-st and a polyurethane (Pellethane 2363-80AE) were used for comparison. In a flow cell system, both HEMA-st and HEMA-oct showed minimal platelet coverage on the surfaces and less platelet activation as measured by beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG), whereas Pellethane showed a considerable amount of platelet coverage with high beta-TG production. A-A shunt occlusion times were 309 +/- 31.2 min for HEMA-st, 251 +/- 47.7 min for HEMA-oct, and 30 +/- 3.4 min for Pellethane.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)