Biomedical applications of plasma polymerization and plasma treatment of polymer surfaces.

Thin polymer films obtained by plasma polymerization usually show good biocompatibility when compared to classical biomaterials such as Silastic. The thickness of these films (from several hundreds of A to several micrometers) make them suitable for the purpose of changing the surface properties of the substrate without altering its bulk properties. Both the above features together indicate the possible biomedical use of plasma polymerization as well as plasma treatment of polymer surfaces processes. The purpose of this review is to present the most significant efforts to develop such applications with the specification of particular fields where these efforts are directed.