title: In Vitro Hemocompatibility Testing of Dyneema Purity Fibers in Blood Contact.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Heart valve and vascular prosthesis implantation is a common procedure for patients with heart valve stenosis or regurgitation and dilated or obstructive vascular disease. Drawbacks of conventional valve prostheses are the requirement for anticoagulant drugs, moderate durability, and suboptimal resistance to fatigue and tear. Dyneema Purity fibers are made from ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene filaments and are very thin, flexible, and fatigue and abrasion resistant and have high strength. Therefore, prostheses made from Dyneema Purity fibers might be attractive for use in the minimally invasive treatment of valvular- and vascular diseases. The aim of this study was to test the hemocompatibility of Dyneema Purity fibers in contact with blood.
  
  
  METHODS
  Real-time platelet adhesion in human blood of 3 volunteers was quantified after 5 minutes of perfusion on single filaments (Ø 15 μm) of Dyneema Purity and polyester fibers. Plasma thrombin generation was measured by fluoroscopy for patches of Dyneema Purity fibers and for 5 commonly used polyester and expanded polytetrafluoroethylene cardiovascular prostheses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Platelet adhesion per 1 mm was 6 ± 1.4 on Dyneema Purity filaments and 15 ± 3.4 on polyester filaments (P = 0.02). Total formed thrombin and the time to peak of its maximum were noninferior for patches of Dyneema Purity fibers compared with the reference materials.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dyneema Purity fibers are noninferior in adhesion and coagulation activation compared with commonly used cardiovascular prostheses.
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of *Experimental Cardiology, †Clinical Chemistry and Haematology, ‡Vascular Surgery, and §Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, UMC Utrecht, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Basir
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: de Groot
authors.forename: Paul F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Gründeman
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tersteeg
authors.forename: Coen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maas
authors.forename: Arjan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barendrecht
authors.forename: Joost
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Herwaarden
authors.forename: Jolanda
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kluin
authors.forename: Frans
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Moll
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pasterkamp
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roest
mesh_terms: D001790:Blood Physiological Phenomena; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000187:drug effects; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods; D005471:Fluoroscopy / Q000379:methods; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006351:Heart Valves / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques / Q000379:methods; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods*; D010973:Platelet Adhesiveness / Q000187:drug effects; D011095:Polyethylenes; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D011095:Polyethylenes; C111601:ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene