Biofabrication of small diameter tissue-engineered vascular grafts

Weekes A, Bartnikowski N, Pinto N, Jenkins J, Meinert C, Klein TJ. Biofabrication of small diameter tissue-engineered vascular grafts. Acta Biomater. 2022;138:92-111.

Current clinical treatment strategies for the bypassing of small diameter (<6 mm) blood vessels in the management of cardiovascular disease frequently fail due to a lack of suitable autologous grafts, as well as infection, thrombosis, and intimal hyperplasia associated with synthetic grafts. The rapid advancement of 3D printing and regenerative medicine technologies enabling the manufacture of biological, tissue-engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs) with the ability to integrate, remodel, and repair in vivo, promises a paradigm shift in cardiovascular disease management.