Physico-chemical stent surface modifications

A lack of biocompatibility in stents could lead to adverse biological effects. This chapter provides an overview of different strategies for physicochemical stent functionalization aimed at reducing the occurrence of thrombosis and restenosis and accelerating rapid endothelialization after stent implantation. In some strategies, a layer of material is introduced on the stent surface in order to prohibit or reduce undesirable protein adhesion. The substances used in this manner are polymers, metal oxides, and gold. Other approaches involve direct attachment of endothelial progenitor cells and antibody fragments to the stent surface. For metallic samples, plasma polymerization technique has been applied for effective covalent protein attachment. Lastly, there is the strategy of stent surface functionalization with thiol groups. Despite the number of studies on stent surface functionalization for its improved biocompatibility, the ultimate design remains a challenge. There is a great potential in future research for developing a stent material with increased detection sensitivities for endothelial cells and hence acceleration of the healing process after stent implantation.