Achieving the ideal properties for vascular bypass grafts using a tissue engineered approach: a review.
The multiple demands placed on small calibre cardiovascular bypass grafts have meant that a synthetic prosthesis with good long-term patency has not been developed. A tissue-engineered graft could fulfil the ideal characteristics present in an artery. However, the great disadvantage of such a conduit is the time necessary for maturation leading to unacceptable delays once the decision to intervene surgically has been made. This maturation process is essential to produce a graft which can withstand haemodynamic stress. Once implanted, the tissue-engineered graft can contract in response to immediate haemodynamic conditions and remodel in the long term. We review the latest tissue engineering approaches used to give the favourable properties of mechanical strength, arterial compliance, low thrombogenicity, long-term resistance towards biodegradation as well as technological advances which shorten the time required for production of an implantable graft.
Sarkar
Sandip
S
Biomaterials & Tissue Engineering Centre (BTEC), Academic Division of Surgical and Interventional Sciences, University College London, Rowland Hill Street, London, NW3 2PF, UK.
Schmitz-Rixen
Thomas
T
Hamilton
George
G
Seifalian
Alexander M
AM
D001158:Arteries; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation; D003094:Collagen; D004549:Elastin; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000502:physiology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D014654:Vascular Patency
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003094:Collagen; D004549:Elastin