Small-diameter vascular graft using co-electrospun composite PCL/PU nanofibers

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine
• Vascular Surgery

Background:

• Small-diameter vascular grafts are crucial for treating vascular diseases.
• Individual polymers like PCL and PU have limitations for vascular scaffold applications.
• Co-electrospinning offers a method to combine polymer properties for improved scaffold performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and mechanically enhance composite vascular scaffolds using PCL and PU via co-electrospinning.
• To evaluate the morphological, mechanical, and biological properties of the PCL/PU scaffolds.
• To assess the in vivo performance and biocompatibility of the fabricated vascular scaffolds.

Main Methods:

• Co-electrospinning of Polycaprolactone (PCL) and Polyurethane (PU) to create composite vascular scaffolds.
• Characterization using SEM, DSC, FTIR, compliance, and tensile testing.
• In vivo implantation in rat and sheep models, followed by pathological and imaging assessments.

Main Results:

• Composite scaffolds showed improved compliance (up to 43%) with increased PU content.
• Scaffolds demonstrated enhanced cell growth compared to controls in MTT assays.
• In vivo studies revealed no thrombosis or occlusion, with complete patency over eight months.

Conclusions:

• The developed PCL/PU composite vascular scaffolds possess favorable mechanical and biological properties.
• These scaffolds meet clinical requirements for small-diameter vascular grafts.
• The co-electrospinning technique successfully created promising vascular graft materials.