The surface of medical grade polyesters was modified to impart hydrophilic character for attachment to bacterial synthesized cellulose to produce a vascular prosthetic device. The polyesters were treated with UV/ozone, air plasma, and nitrogen plasma for various lengths of time. The unmodified and modified surfaces were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and advancing contact angle measurements. The surfaces were then coated with bacterial produced cellulose to study adhesion properties through tensile testing (peel testing). UV/ozone and plasma treatment XPS results indicated an increase in the oxygen concentration in the form of C-O(H) on the treated polyester surfaces. The treatment time to reach steady state in the case of air and nitrogen plasmas took the order of seconds, while 7 min and longer were required for UV/ ozone treatment. Peel strength tests to measure adhesion of modified polyester to cellulose reached their maximum values when the C-O(H) concentrations were at the highest level. It was also at this level that the contact angle measurements showed no further decrease. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.