Exposure of plasma proteins on Dacron and ePTFE vascular graft material in a perfusion model.

Abstract

to compare the exposure of plasma proteins adsorbed onto three vascular graft materials (polytetrafluoroethylene ePTFE and two modifications of polyethyleneterephthalate Dacron). surface exposure of fibronectin, vitronectin, thrombospondin, antithrombin III, IgG, high molecular-weight kininogen, fibrinogen, albumin and plasminogen was studied by incubation with radiolabelled antibodies in a perfusion model. Perfusion times with human plasma were 1, 4, 24 and 48 hours. all proteins could be detected at 1, 4, 24 and 48 hours after the start of perfusion. Overall, the least amount of proteins adsorbed onto ePTFE. the low adsorption of proteins onto ePTFE may be one of the reasons for the lower incidence of infections reported with this material.