Inactivation of thrombin by antithrombin III on a heparinized biomaterial

Heparin covalently bonded to polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is potentially useful as a nonthrombogenic coating in the preparation of small diameter vascular prostheses and blood sampling catheters. PVA-heparin is highly stable: the elution rate of 35S-heparin from the polymer was determined to be negligible (approx. 2 × 10−11 g/cm2 min) when washed with either buffered saline (pH 7.4) or citrated human plasma. The inactivation of thrombin by …