Surface modification using plasma processing can significantly change the chemical and physical characteristics of biomaterial surfaces. When used in combination with additional modification techniques such as direct chemical or biochemical methods, it can produce novel biomaterial surfaces, which are anticoagulant, bioactive, and biomimetic in nature. This article reviews recent advances in improving hemocompatibility of biomaterials by plasma surface modification (PSM). The focus of this review is on PSM of the most commonly used polymers for vascular prostheses such as expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyethylene terephthalate (Dacron(®) ), and next generation of biomaterials, including polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane nanocomposite.
Copyright © 2011 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.