In vitro hemocompatibility studies of (poly(L-lactide) and poly(L-lactide-co-glycolide) as materials for bioresorbable stents manufacture

Vascular stents are one of the most popular modern methods of dealing with advanced coronary artery disease. At the same time stents are foreign objects to the body, they can stimulate proliferation of vascular endothelium and finally lead to restenosis. Biomaterials designed for temporary and permanent contact with an organism should be biologically inert especially in the case of contact with liquid tissue such as blood. The study aims to assess the impact of resorbable polymers: poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) and poly(L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), intended for the construction of bioresorbable stents, on activation of coagulation, haemolysis, and morphology of blood cells. The test results showed that in terms of haemolytic activity the samples selected from PLLA and PLGA, shaped by compression pressure followed by laser cutting, do not cause changes in the structural elements of blood and meet the biocompatibility requirements for materials intended for use in the circulatory system.