Continuous Based Direct Ink Write for Tubular Cardiovascular Medical Devices

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Cardiovascular Research

Background:

• Bioresorbable cardiovascular devices are gaining traction to mitigate late restenosis associated with fixed implants.
• Autologous treatments remain the gold standard for vascular grafts due to tissue similarity, highlighting the need for customizable solutions.
• The cardiovascular system's dynamic nature necessitates tailored medical applications for optimal treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the emerging field of cardiovascular medical applications using Direct Ink Writing (DIW) 3D printing.
• To explore the development and potential of DIW-fabricated cardiovascular stents and vascular grafts.
• To analyze the advantages and limitations of incorporating cells, composite materials, and drugs into bioinks for cardiovascular applications.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on Direct Ink Writing (DIW) for cardiovascular applications.
• Analysis of composite bioink formulations for DIW, focusing on tunable rheological properties.
• Exploration of tubular 3D printing approaches for cardiovascular devices.

Main Results:

• DIW allows the creation of composite bioinks with desirable properties like anticoagulation, mechanical resistance, and radiopacity.
• Bioinks can be tailored rheologically for optimal DIW performance.
• The review covers cardiovascular stents and vascular grafts produced via DIW, detailing material compositions and printing parameters.

Conclusions:

• DIW presents a promising technology for creating patient-specific, bioresorbable cardiovascular devices.
• The ability to customize bioinks with various components offers significant advantages over traditional fixed implants.
• Further research into printing parameters and material combinations is crucial for advancing DIW in cardiovascular medicine.