16. DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A NEW VASCULAR GRAFT: PRECLINICAL STUDY

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Blood vessel obstruction and lack of nutrients cause tissue damage. Although commercial vascular grafts are a common surgical treatment option, they are not without issues, particularly with stenosis. Tissue engineering provides a promising solution for designing vascular grafts that could replace or repair blood vessels. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is a synthetic material with piezoelectric properties and good physical, biological, and mechanical characteristics, which makes it an interesting option for cardiovascular applications. Methods The electrospinning technique and post-treatment protocols were used to produce electrospun PVDF grafts. Results PVDF scaffolds were fabricated with randomly distributed fibers, which exhibited significant porosity and adequate pore size within the measured range. The PVDF grafts exhibited Young's modulus with mechanical properties typical of ductile materials. In terms of biological properties, they showed promising results. Conclusion The grafts showed optimal biological and mechanical characteristics for application in the experimental model and in vivo assay.