Method for inhibiting platelet interaction with biomaterial surfaces

1. A method for inhibiting blood platelet adhesion to a biomaterial surface, the method comprising:

exposing the biomaterial surface to therapeutic energy in the presence of a proteinaceous fluid; and

promoting conformationally modified fibrinogen at the biomaterial surface based on exposing the biomaterial surface to therapeutic energy,

so that the conformationally modified fibrinogen comprises a higher concentration of beta fibrinogen as compared to a concentration of alpha fibrinogen and a concentration of gamma fibrinogen.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biomaterial surface is a portion of a medical device.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the medical device is selected from the group consisting of a heart valve, a vascular stent, a graft, a catheter, and a device comprising a stent.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the therapeutic electrical energy exposure is effected through direct electrical contact between an energy source and the biomaterial surface.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the biomaterial surface has an electrical resistivity of less than about 5 ohms.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the biomaterial surface is selected from the group consisting of pyrolytic carbon, titanium, nitinol, stainless steel, platinum, and iridium.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the proteinaceous fluid is selected from the group consisting of blood, plasma, blood serum, a fluid comprising a blood protein, and a fluid comprising fibrinogen.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the therapeutic energy has a current density of at least 0.1 mA/cm 2 .

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biomaterial surface is provided as part of an object for implantation within a human body, and further wherein the step of exposing is performed prior to implantation of the object within a human body.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of promoting includes:

(a) exposing a quantity of a proteinaceous fluid to therapeutic electrical energy; and

(b) subsequent to step (a), depositing conformationally modified fibrinogen from the quantity of proteinaceous fluid on the biomaterial surface.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the proteinaceous fluid is selected from the group consisting of blood, plasma, blood serum, a fluid comprising a blood protein, and a fluid comprising fibrinogen.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the biomaterial surface is provided as part of an object for implantation within a human body, and further wherein the steps of exposing and depositing are performed prior to implantation of the object within a human body.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the therapeutic energy has a current density of at least 0.1 mA/cm 2 .