Improving the hemocompatibility of a porohyperelastic layered vascular graft using luminal reversal microflows

Vascular graft thrombosis is a long-standing clinical problem. A myriad of efforts have been devoted to reducing thrombus formation following bypass surgery. Researchers have primarily taken a chemical approach to engineer and modify surfaces, seeking to make them more suitable for blood contacting applications. Using mechanical forces and surface topology to prevent thrombus formation has recently gained more attention. In this study, we have designed a bilayered porous vascular graft capable of repelling platelets and destabilizing absorbed protein layers from the luminal surface. During systole, fluid penetrates through the graft wall and is subsequently ejected from the wall into the luminal space (Luminal Reversal Flow - LRF), pushing platelets away from the surface during diastole. In-vitro hemocompatibility tests were conducted to compare platelet deposition in high LRF grafts with low LRF grafts. Graft material properties were determined and utilized in a porohyperelastic (PHE) finite element model to computationally predict the LRF generation in each graft type. Hemocompatibility testing showed significantly lower platelet deposition values in high versus low LRF generating grafts (median±IQR = 5,708 ± 987 and 23,039 ± 3,310 platelets per mm², respectively, p=0.032). SEM imaging of the luminal surface of both graft types confirmed the quantitative blood test results. The computational simulations of high and low LRF generating grafts resulted in LRF values of -10.06 μm/s and -2.87 μm/s, respectively. These analyses show that a 250% increase in LRF is associated with a 75.2% decrease in platelet deposition. PHE vascular grafts with high LRF have the potential to improve anti-thrombogenicity and reduce thrombus-related post-procedure complications. Additional research is required to overcome the limitations of current graft fabrication technologies that further enhance LRF generation.