A survey of materials for mechanical heart systems highlights that while Silastic is promising for blood handling, improvements in tensile strength and thromboresistance are needed.
No ideal material exists for blood-contacting mechanical heart components; leaves open the need for tensile and thromboresistance improvements in device research.
Currently available materials for mechanical heart systems are surveyed, particularly with respect to long‐term implantation, from the viewpoints of availability and workability, mechanical and biological durability, and compatibility with blood and tissue. Some materials have one or more desirable physical properties, but none offers perfect blood and tissue compatibility. Medical grade Silastic, considered best for blood handling parts, has produced promising results in auxiliary ventricle patency experiments. The insufficient tensile strength of Silastic should be increased, and it may be possible to accomplish this while maintaining the present resilience, elongation, and inertness. No long‐term data on thrombus formation are available, but clot‐retarding quality is essential and may perhaps be obtained by incorporating heparin. Developments in polymer chemistry may also lead to other surfaces with the requisite mechanical properties with blood.
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Akutsu et al. (1967) studied this question.
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