An innovative 3D printed vascular graft developed by the University of Edinburgh combines strength, flexibility and reduced risk of complications in new medical applications, showing the potential to revolutionise heart bypass surgery. Courtesy of Dr Norbert Radasi, School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh.
3D printed blood vessels, which closely resemble the properties of human veins, could revolutionize the treatment of cardiovascular disease.
The newly developed strong, flexible, gel-like tubes, made with an innovative 3D printing technique, could improve outcomes for heart bypass surgery patients by replacing the human or artificial veins currently used to redistribute blood flow during surgery, experts say.
The development of the graft could help reduce the scarring, pain and risk of infection caused by removing human veins in around 20,000 bypass surgeries carried out in the UK each year. The product could also help reduce the failure of tiny artificial blood vessel grafts which are difficult to integrate into the body.
In a two-step process, the research team, led by the University of Edinburgh’s School of Engineering, used a rotating spindle integrated into a 3D printer to print tubular grafts made from a water-based gel.
The researchers then strengthened the printed grafts using a process called electrospinning, which uses high voltage to draw extremely thin nanofibers and coats the artificial blood vessels with biodegradable polyester molecules. Tests showed that the resulting product was as strong as natural blood vessels.
Generalizability and future research directions
The researchers say the 3D implants can be made with diameters ranging from 1 to 40mm thick to suit a variety of applications, and are flexible enough to be easily integrated into the human body. The next stage of research will involve investigating the use of the blood vessels in animals in collaboration with the Roslin Institute at the University of Edinburgh, before moving on to human trials.
The research, published in the journal Advanced Materials Technologies, was carried out in collaboration with Heriot-Watt University.
Lead author Dr Faraz Fazal, from the University of Edinburgh’s School of Engineering, said: “Our hybrid technique opens up new and exciting possibilities for the fabrication of tubular constructs in tissue engineering.”
Lead researcher Dr Norbert Radati, from the University of Edinburgh’s School of Engineering, said: “Our findings address a long-standing challenge in the field of vascular tissue engineering – creating conduits with biomechanical properties similar to those of human veins.”
“With your continued support and cooperation, Cardiovascular disease It could become a reality.”
Reference: “Fabrication of Flexible Vascular Grafts Using Extrusion Printing and Electrospinning Techniques” Faraz Fazal, Ferry PW Melchels, Andrew McCormack, Andreia F. Silva, Ella-Louise Handley, Nurul Ain Mazlan, Anthony Callanan, Vasileios Koutsos, Norbert Radacsi, July 25, 2024, Advanced Materials Technology.
DOI: 10.1002/admt.202400224
