Human heart is an intricate organ of unparalleled importance. It often needs medical intervention to maintain of restore its function. Cardiovascular devices like stents, heart valves and pacemakers are essential to manage heart diseases.
However, the mere implantation of these devices is not sufficient, their performance and safety within the human body also matter.
Coatings applied on the surface of cardiovascular devices influence their success. In this post, let’s explore the role and best materials used to coat heart devices.
Table of Contents
The importance of cardiovascular devices
Biocompatibility enhancement
The human body is inherently vigilant about foreign objects. Cardiovascular implants can trigger an inflammatory response or even rejection by the body, as the immune system identifies them as foreign objects.
To prevent this, the coating is applied to the device’s surface. The materials in the coating are designed to imitate your body’s tissue, promoting compatibility and reducing the risk of complications.
Hydromer offers multiple hydrogels based on Chitosan derivatives and hydrophilic PVP polymers. The Lubricious coatings are biocompatible, strong, stable, and highly adaptive. Their dedicated team works closely with clients to tailor their unique requirements.
For example, drug-eluting stents are coated with polymers that gradually release medications. Due to the slow release of medication, the overgrowth of scar tissue is blocked. Thus, the risk of re-narrowing of the artery is averted.
Prevents infection
Infection is a danger for heart implants. It can cause the device to fail or even be fatal. To fight this, many implants have special coatings that kill germs and keep them safe within the body.
For example, silver material is popular for its anti-microbial properties It prevents infection, prolongs the functionality of the device, and reduces the need for medical intervention like device replacement or removal. The device stays sterile post-implantation.
Prevents thrombosis
Thrombosis or blood clot formation is a major risk, especially with the ones that come in direct contact with blood like stents and heart valves. Blood clots forming on the device’s surface can cause stroke or myocardial infarction.
For example, heparin is like a clot-buster. When it is coated on a device, it slowly releases this clot-fighting stuff. This helps to keep blood flowing smoothly without messing up the device.
Improves device durability
Coatings are like armor for heart devices. They keep them safe from wear and tear, so they last longer. This is super important because people depend on these devices to stay healthy.
For example, titanium nitride is a robust coating material. It keeps the heart devices safe from the body’s rough environment, stopping them from getting rusted. It means the device can last longer and keep working as it should without any issues.
Best coating materials for cardiovascular devices
Polymers
Polymers are flexible, friendly materials that can hold and slowly release medicine. They are good at getting along with your body, so perfect for coating stents. Two popular ones are PLGA and PEG.
Heparin
Heparin molecules prevent blood clot formation and reduce thrombosis. They stay active on the surface of the device for a long providing long-term protection against thrombosis. It is ideal for coating devices like stents and heart valves.
Silver-based compounds
Silver can kill nasty germs like fungus and bacteria. So, devices coated with silver are less likely to get infected. This is especially important for things like pacemakers and defibrillators, which are at a high risk of infection.
In conclusion, cardiovascular device coatings are important for the functionality, safety, and longevity of medical implants.
However, make sure to choose the appropriate coating materials because they directly impact the performance of the device in the human body.