Porous polyurethane vascular prostheses with variable compliances.
A new technique for the preparation of porous vascular prostheses was investigated. Polyurethane solution (5 to 15 wt%) was injected into a mold. After freezing at low temperature (0 degrees C-196 degrees C), solvents were dissolved out with water at 0 degrees C to form porous tubes. The average pore size (several microns to 70 microns), pore occupation (10% to 51%), and compliance (3% to 35%) were easily changed by changing polyurethane concentration, freezing temperature, and freezing methods. Compliances could be decreased gradually by heat treatment. This technique can give a proper pore size (30-60 microns) for tissue ingrowth, and a suitable compliance for matching with arteries and veins. This method might give a desired compliant graft for artificial implantation with the presently valid medical polymers.
Liu
S Q
SQ
Biomaterial Laboratory, Research Institute for Polymers and Textiles, Ibaraki, Japan.
Kodama
M
M
D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D005615:Freezing; D006801:Humans; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011140:Polyurethanes; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
D011140:Polyurethanes