Short-term in vivo evaluation of small-diameter vascular prosthesis composed of segmented poly(etherurethane)/2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine polymer blend.

A small-diameter vascular prosthesis with potential for clinical use was prepared from a Dacron prosthesis coated with nonthrombogenic polymeric materials. As a coating material, segmented poly(etherurethane) (SPU; Tecoflex 60) was blended with a phospholipid polymer, 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) polymer, which has excellent blood compatibility. The Dacron prosthesis, 2 mm in diameter, was immersed in a solution of the SPU/MPC polymer blend and dried to evaporate the solvent. The SPU/MPC polymer prosthesis was nonwater permeable and could be sewn to a natural vessel by a microsurgical technique. The SPU solution was used instead of the SPU/MPC polymer blend solution to prepare a control prosthesis (SPU prosthesis). The SPU/MPC polymer prosthesis and the SPU prosthesis were placed as interposition grafts in rabbit carotid arteries. A massive red thrombus became attached to the surface of the SPU prosthesis as early as 90 min after implantation. In the SPU/MPC polymer prosthesis case, the surface was maintained clear even after 5-day implantation. These observations indicated that the MPC polymer in the SPU could improve the nonthrombogenicity of SPU, and the SPU/MPC polymer blend had potential for preparation of small-diameter vascular prostheses.