title: Mechanical behavior of bilayered small-diameter nanofibrous structures as biomimetic vascular grafts.
abstract: To these days, the production of a small diameter vascular graft (<6mm) with an appropriate and permanent response is still challenging. The mismatch in the grafts mechanical properties is one of the principal causes of failure, therefore their complete mechanical characterization is fundamental. In this work the mechanical response of electrospun bilayered small-diameter vascular grafts made of two different bioresorbable synthetic polymers, segmented poly(ester urethane) and poly(L-lactic acid), that mimic the biomechanical characteristics of elastin and collagen is investigated. A J-shaped response when subjected to internal pressure was observed as a cause of the nanofibrous layered structure, and the materials used. Compliance values were in the order of natural coronary arteries and very close to the bypass gold standard-saphenous vein. The suture retention strength and burst pressure values were also in the range of natural vessels. Therefore, the bilayered vascular grafts presented here are very promising for future application as small-diameter vessel replacements.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Materials Science and Technology, INTEMA (UNMdP-CONICET), Mar del Plata, Argentina; Laboratory for Biomaterials & Biological Materials, Center for Biomedical Technology, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Ciencia de Materiales, ETSI Caminos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Florencia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Montini-Ballarin
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Biomaterials & Biological Materials, Center for Biomedical Technology, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Ciencia de Materiales, ETSI Caminos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Calvo
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Materials Science and Technology, INTEMA (UNMdP-CONICET), Mar del Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: Pablo C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Caracciolo
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Biomaterials & Biological Materials, Center for Biomedical Technology, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Ciencia de Materiales, ETSI Caminos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rojo
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Materials Science and Technology, INTEMA (UNMdP-CONICET), Mar del Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: Patricia M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Frontini
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Materials Science and Technology, INTEMA (UNMdP-CONICET), Mar del Plata, Argentina. Electronic address: gabraham@fi.mdp.edu.ar.
authors.forename: Gustavo A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Biomaterials & Biological Materials, Center for Biomedical Technology, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Ciencia de Materiales, ETSI Caminos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: V Guinea
mesh_terms: D032701:Biomimetics; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D057139:Nanofibers; D011091:Polyesters; D011140:Polyurethanes; D058017:Vascular Grafting
chemical_list: D011091:Polyesters; D011140:Polyurethanes; C081821:microthane foam; C033616:poly(lactide)
keywords: Biomimetic behavior; Dynamic compliance; Electrospinning; Small-diameter vascular grafts