TREATING SURFACES TO ENHANCE BIO-COMPATIBILITY

摘要

A metal, glass or ceramics article, for example a stent, having at its surfaceoxide or hydroxide is treated to enhance the biocompatibility and/or physicalcharacteristics of the surface. The surface is de-greased and primed bycontact with an alkoxysilane in a aprotic organic solvent in the presence ofan acid catalyst so that the alkoxysilance molecules react with the oxide orhydroxide of said surface to form covalent bonds, the alkoxysilane furthercomprising one or more amino, hydroxyl, carboxylic acid or acid anhydridegroups. A polymer, e.g. carbodymethyl cellulose, is then covalently coupled tosaid surface via said amino, hydroxyl, carboxylic acid or acid anhydridegroups, after which biologically active materials may be coupled to thepolymer. Such materials may include an anti-coagulating agent or anti-plateletagent and an agent that inhibits smooth cell proliferation and restenosis.