Abstract
Synthetic Polyvinyl Alcohol Artificial Blood Vessels Matches the Mechanical Properties of Pigs' Aorta Cardiovascular disease affects millions of people around the world every year. Many disease conditions require repair or replacement of the damaged vessels. Atherosclerosis, aneurysms, traumatic injuries, complications after implanted stents, and other conditions may lead to the need for partial or total replacement of a small or large blood vessel. In this study, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was used as a biomaterial to construct sections of large artificial blood vessels, simulating portions of a large artery like the aorta or any of its main branches. Once constructed, the prepared blood vessels' mechanical properties were compared to those of sections of porcine aorta. Specifically, the PVAâ€based artificial blood vessels (ABV) were evaluated for stiffness, elasticity, and breaking point in tensile strength tests. The effects of variations in PVA concentration and number of processing freezeâ€"thaw cycles were evaluated. Besides the mechanical properties, the prepared blood vessels' biocompatibility was assessed by contacting them L929 mouse for 24â€Promilleh and found biocompatible. Moreover, adsorption tests for αâ€glucosidase enzyme, normally present in the blood, revealed that PVAâ€based ABV did not significantly uptake this enzyme or affect its activity suggesting the ABV will not affect the concentration of the enzyme in blood as used as a replacement organ. Furthermore, the hemolysis and blood clotting tests affirmed that the prepared ABVs can be safely used without affecting the blood clotting mechanism. Additionally, Fe(II) ion chelating ability of the artificial blood further ensures that these materials do not compete or interfere with the oxygen carrying ability of the blood. The use of PVA as a potential material for artificial blood vessels could allow repair/replacement of seriously damaged blood vessels due to atherosclerosis and plaque complications, aneurysms, traumatic injury, and other vessel wall alterations. There is also high potential for further improvements leading to the development of novel hybrid systems aimed at the creation of new avenues for practical applications in healthcare.
