Synthesis of Thrombolytic Sol-Gel Coatings: Toward Drug-Entrapped Vascular Grafts.

As is evident from numerous investigations, drug-eluting vascular grafts and stents have not solved the main problems associated with thrombosis and due to drug release only postpone their advance for a longer period. Here we point to a potential solution of this problem by developing thrombolytic sol-gel coatings which potentially could lead to drug-entrapped vascular grafts: urokinase-type plasminogen activator was entrapped within a porous alumina sol-gel film with a subsequent deposition on a polymer graft.