title: Preliminary In Vivo Evaluation of a Hybrid Armored Vascular Graft Combining Electrospinning and Additive Manufacturing Techniques.
abstract: In this study, we tested in vivo effectiveness of a previously developed poly-l-lactide/poly-ε-caprolactone armored vascular graft releasing heparin. This bioprosthesis was designed in order to overcome the main drawbacks of tissue-engineered vascular grafts, mainly concerning poor mechanical properties, thrombogenicity, and endothelialization. The bioprosthesis was successfully implanted in an aortic vascular reconstruction model in rabbits. All grafts implanted were patent at four weeks postoperatively and have been adequately populated by endogenous cells without signs of thrombosis or structural failure and with no need of antiplatelet therapy. The results of this preliminary study might warrant for further larger controlled in vivo studies to further confirm these findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Golden Jubilee National Hospital, Clydebank, Dunbartonshire, UK.
authors.forename: Cristiano
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Spadaccio
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Surgery, Centre Cardiologique du Nord de Saint-Denis, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nappi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology, The Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Marco
authors.affiliation: Unit of Imaging and Diagnostics, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sedati
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Golden Jubilee National Hospital, Clydebank, Dunbartonshire, UK.
authors.forename: Fraser W H
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Sutherland
authors.affiliation: Unit of Cardiac Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chello
authors.affiliation: Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trombetta
authors.affiliation: Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rainer
keywords: additive manufacturing; computer-aided tissue engineering; drug release; electrospinning; heparin; vascular graft