Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 9, 2025
Combining 3D-Printing and Electrospinning to Manufacture Biomimetic Heart Valve Leaflets
Published on: March 23, 2022
Mechanical and Geometric Characterization of a Novel 2-Ply Vacuum-Pressed Biological Scaffold Patch Design for
Johannes H Jedrzejczyk1,2, Frederik T Andersen3,4, Jacob Petersen3,4
1Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark. johjed@clin.au.dk.
Abstract:
To assess the mechanical properties of small intestinal submucosal extracellular matrix (SIS-ECM) iterations and choose the optimal version for evaluating functional geometrics after posterior mitral valve reconstruction. Four SIS-ECM versions (2- and 4-ply vacuum-pressed and lyophilized) underwent uniaxial tensile testing. A posterior mitral valve reconstruction patch was developed based on MRI scans (n = 5). Posterior mitral valve reconstruction using 2-ply vacuum-pressed SIS-ECM was performed (n = 7), and geometrics were evaluated using a modified left heart simulator. The vacuum-pressed iterations displayed superior maximum stress values compared to lyophilized (2-ply: median [IQR], 15.8 [15.2-19.0] vs 7.9 [7.3-8.3] MPa, p < 0.001; 4-ply: median (IQR), 15.8 -[14.6-22.0] vs 7.9 [7.6-8.4] MPa). All reconstructed valves were competent with preserved total leaflet area, but individual leaflet segment areas were redistributed. Posterior mitral valve reconstruction with our 2-ply vacuum-pressed SIS-ECM patch design was feasible in vitro. Further in vivo evaluation is warranted.
