Thrombosis of vascular prostheses is one of the most important complications following surgical procedures on the lower extremity arteries. Unfortunately, preventing the surgical thread from interacting with flowing blood is nearly impossible, which makes the surgical site prone to thrombosis. This study aimed to investigate the potential for increasing the thromboresistance of polypropylene suture material by modifying its surface with heparin through chemical inoculation. To achieve this goal, a solution of heparin was applied to the polypropylene filament’s surface, along with a polyhydroxybutyrate/oxivalerate copolymer. A polymethacrylyl chloride underlayer was introduced to ensure the strong bonding of heparin to the polymer. The polymer reacted with heparin, creating durable covalent ester bonds. A smooth surface was achieved by applying a thin polyhydroxybutyrate/oxivalerate layer no thicker than 4 microns. After undergoing chemical modification and heparin application, the filament developed a uniform, spongy texture, resulting from a newly formed polymer layer with securely attached heparin. This process opens the possibility of creating a bio- and hemocompatible coating based on a biodegradable polymer and heparin for use on the surface of polypropylene sutures.
