Polyurethanes that incorporate a nitric oxide donor (called diazeniumdiolate) might possibly be the medical device coating of the future. What is the fuss all about? Well, nitric oxide is an important mediator in vascular physiology. A recent article (subscription required) at the New England Journal of Medicine describes its action on blood vessels:
Its release from the endothelium counters the activation and adhesion of leukocytes, limits platelet aggregation and thrombus formation, and maintains the vascular smooth muscle in a nonproliferative state, thereby maintaining the integrity of blood vessels and guarding against adverse vascular remodeling. These characteristics suggest that nitric oxide may improve the biologic properties of cardiovascular biomaterials…
So if you want to learn more about the nitric oxide-eluting polyurethanes, read the NEJM article. The additional resource on this topic is this article at DeviceLink.com. The other resource is MC3, Inc., a Michigan based company that is working on this technology.