Drug-Loaded Vascular Scaffold Fabricated by Coaxial Electrospining and Electro-Hydro-Dynamic Direct-Writing

摘要

Cardiovascular disease accounts for a significant mortality rate worldwide, and the clinical need has become increasingly urgent as cardiovascular disease increases. The requirements for a vascular scaffold include suitable mechanical and structural properties, and can prevent postoperativethrombosis and restenosis. We have developed a small diameter (<6 mm), triple-layered, drug-loaded vascular scaffold. The proposed scaffold combined coaxial electrospinning, traditional electrospinning and electro-hydro-dynamic (EHD) direct-writing technology, through regulating the parametersof process, these three different modes of electrospinning can be achieved on a same experiment platform. Compared with blending electrospun scaffold, the drug-loaded inner layer fabricated by coaxial electrospinning can ensure that the drugs be sustained released, the wavy structure mediallayer prepared by EHD direct-writing can significantly improve the mechanical properties of the scaffold, and the outer layer of electrospun fibers can mimic the human's native extracellular matrix morphology. The results show that the process we proposed possesses great potential for applicationand provides a reliable method for automated preparation of artificial vascular scaffold.