Oxidized orlon as a blood interface.

Abstract

Polyacrylonitrile fabric (Orlon) may by oxidized by heating in air, when it becomes black and carbonized. During the heat treatment, the fibers shrink; this shrinkage allows components such as diaphrams to be shaped around molds. Oxidation reduces the tensile strength by about 25% and also reduces the stiffness of the material. The oxidized Orlons was screened in tissue culture for possible cytotoxic effects. Finding none, patches of the material were sutured into the right atrium of dogs and examined after 48 hr. Because of encouraging results, 10 atrial patches, consisting of Dacron velour and oxidized Orlon side-by-side, were implanted into the right atrium of dogs. Five patches were backed with Silastic to render them impervious, and five with segmented polyurethane. The atrial patches were examined after 48 hr, and in all instances the oxidized Orlon part of the patch was coated with a thinner and smoother fibrin layer than was the Dacron velour half. a left ventricular bypass pump was fabricated from oxidized Orlon and spray-coated on the nonblood surface with segmented polyurethane. After 48 hr implantation in the chest cavity of a calf, pumping without systemic anticoagulation, the pump was found covered by a thin, smooth, firmly attached layer of fibrin.