On-demand heart valve manufacturing using focused rotary jet spinning

• Published in: Matter Vol. 6; no. 6; pp. 1860 - 1879
• Main Authors: Motta, Sarah E., Peters, Michael M., Chantre, Christophe O., Chang, Huibin, Cera, Luca, Liu, Qihan, Cordoves, Elizabeth M., Fioretta, Emanuela S., Zaytseva, Polina, Cesarovic, Nikola, Emmert, Maximilian Y., Hoerstrup, Simon P., Parker, Kevin Kit
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 07.06.2023
• Subjects: biomimetic; FibraValve; focused rotary jet spinning; FRJS; heart valve; nanofiber; tissue engineering; tissue engineering; focused rotary jet spinning; FRJS; heart valve; biomimetic; nanofiber; MAP6: Development; FibraValve
• ISSN: 2590-2385; 2590-2385
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matt.2023.05.025

Pediatric heart valve disease affects children worldwide and necessitates valve replacements that remodel and grow with the patient. Current valve manufacturing technologies struggle to create valves that facilitate native tissue remodeling for permanent replacements. Here, we present focused rotary jet spinning (FRJS) for implantable medical devices, such as heart valves, to address this challenge. Combining RJS and a focused air stream, FRJS prints FibraValves, micro- and nanofibrous heart valves, in minutes. The micro- and nanoscale features provide structural cues to orient cells at the biotic-abiotic interface, while the centimeter-scale valve shape regulates cardiac flow. We built valves using poly(L-lactide-co-Ɛ-caprolactone) fiber scaffolds, which supported rapid cellular infiltration and displayed native valve-like mechanical properties. Evaluating clinical translatability, we assessed acute performance in a large animal model using a transcatheter delivery approach. These tests indicate that FRJS is a viable method for manufacturing heart valves and future medical implants. [Display omitted] •Fabricated FibraValves that maintained unidirectional blood flow in vivo•Demonstrated focused rotary jet spinning as medical implant fabrication platform•Manufactured micro- and nanofiber scaffolds that mimic native valve mechanics•Spun fiber-based heart valve replacements in minutes Children worldwide suffer from heart valve disease and often require open heart surgeries for valve replacements. Unfortunately, current heart valve replacements do not grow alongside the child, necessitating repeat high-risk surgeries throughout the pediatric patient’s life. This work introduces FibraValves, heart valve replacements fabricated in minutes that comprise of fibers produced by focused rotary jet spinning. FibraValves are manufactured using biodegradable polymer fibers that allow for the patient’s cells to attach and remodel the implanted scaffold, eventually building a native valve that can grow and live with the child throughout their life. These valves were tested in vitro and deployed in acute in vivo studies to evaluate their ability to maintain unidirectional blood flow in the heart. Together, these results suggest the potential translation of FibraValves as future cardiac implants, eliminating the need for repeated valve replacements in children. Many children suffer from heart valve diseases that necessitate valve replacement. Current heart valve replacement strategies do not grow alongside the patient and require repeat surgeries. Utilizing recent advances in fiber spinning, this work details FibraValves as a potential cardiac implant that will help patients regrow a native valve from their own cells. FibraValves were fabricated using focused rotary jet spinning and showed acute functionality in sheep, revealing the potential for clinical translation of this technology.