Polylactic　acid　(PLA)　scaffolds　were　prepared　using　vacuum-assisted　resin　transfer　molding　(VARTM),　phase　separation,　solvent　extraction,　and　particle　leaching　approaches.　A　chitosan　(CS)-coated　PLA　scaffold　was　then　fabricated　using　CS　coating　treatment.　To　control　the　pore　morphology　and　porosity,　different　processing　parameters,　such　as　NaCl　particle　size　and　PLA　solution　concentrations　were　studied.　The　properties　of　porous　PLA　and　CS-coated　PLA　scaffold,　including　the　microstructure,　porosity,　water　absorption,　hydrophilicity,　compression　modulus,　and　compression　strength　were　investigated.　The　results　showed　that　PLA　and　CS-coated　PLA　scaffold　with　porosities　as　high　as　94 %,　water　absorption　up　to　1200 %,　and　compressive　modulus　ranging　from　241　to　442 kPa　were　produced.　The　pore　morphology　on　the　surface　and　within　the　scaffold　showed　the　presence　of　multiple　open　pores　with　excellent　interconnectivity.　Additionally,　the　CS-coated　PLA　scaffold　showed　significantly　improved　hydrophilicity　and　mechanical　properties　compared　to　the　untreated　PLA　scaffold.　Hence,　the　CS-coated　PLA　scaffold　was　expected　to　exhibit　a　better　biocompatibility　than　PLA　scaffold　because　of　the　enhancement　of　the　hydrophilicity.　©　2016,　Springer　Science+Business　Media　New　York.