IIT Madras Develops Optics-Based Blood Clotting Test for Safer Implants

Researchers at IIT-Madras have developed an optics-based technique that can accurately measure the time blood takes to clot on the surface of materials used in medical implants.

• Medical implants are devices or tissues placed inside or on the surface of the body to replace, support, or enhance biological functions. They are different from transplants (which use donor tissue) because implants are human-made.
• It helps manufacturers assess material haemocompatibility and also has potential applications such as water purity testing.

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About Haemocompatibility

• Haemocompatibility refers to the ability of a biomaterial or medical device to interact safely with blood without triggering adverse reactions such as clot formation (thrombosis), haemolysis, platelet activation, or immune responses.
• Importance in Biomedical Devices: 
  • Haemocompatibility is a critical parameter in the design and development of blood-contacting medical devices such as:
    • Stents
    • Heart valves
    • Catheters
  • Poor haemocompatibility can lead to complications like clot formation, device failure, stroke, or systemic inflammation.

How does the Optics-based Technique Works?

• The system uses reflected light (optical reflectance) to monitor clot formation in real time.
• Blood on a test surface changes the way light is reflected as it clots; this change is detected and measured.
• It offers higher temporal precision and objectivity compared to traditional methods that depend on mechanical or manual observation. 

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Applications

• Improving Clot Testing: The method enables faster, more accurate, and non-invasive detection of clot formation by monitoring changes in surface reflectivity.
  • Ensuring haemocompatibility reduces implant failure due to clot formation.
• Quality Control: It can be used by manufacturers of implants to evaluate and improve biomaterial surfaces.
• Screening of Materials: It  allows quantitative screening of materials for:
  • Blood compatibility
  • Clot formation behaviour
• Water Purity Testing: With substrate modifications, the same technique can:
  • Detect trace impurities in water
  • Act as a rapid screening tool

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