Aerogels Used for Cardiovascular Implantable Devices

Cardiovascular diseases and complications are the leading cause of death in the United States, which creates a large demand for biomaterials suitable for cardiovascular implantable devices. In general, in order for a biomaterial to be usable in a certain organ system in the human body, the material must be compatible with that system over the device s entire service life period. For a cardiovascular system, this includes compatibility with the patient s blood, especially with respect to immune responses and hemostatic/thrombotic responses and compatibility with blood vessels, if the device is in contact with them. 

When in contact with blood, a foreign material of the implantable device may induce a rapid deposition or adsorption of plasma proteins onto the surface, followed by the adhesion and activation of platelets [2]. Plasma protein deposition onto a material may trigger acute 

it was determined whether or not aerogel samples would induce platelet activation upon contact. To investigate this, washed platelets were incubated with aerogel samples for up to 6 h. The expression of phosphatidylserine (PS) and P-selectin (CD-62P) was measured to determine how platelets responded to aerogel contact. Platelets are a critical component of the hemostatic system and play a salient role in clot formation. 

To answer the question if platelet normal functions are altered by this particular aerogel, platelet activation and aggregatitm were mtHiitored after aerogel craitact using the modified prothrombinase assay and optical platelet aggregation. For aggregation 

A picture of the prototype monoleaflet valve is shown in the left top corner. 

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