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High Compliance Vascular Grafts Based on Semi‐Interpenetrating Networks
Author(s) -
Dempsey David K.,
Nezarati Roya M.,
Mackey Calvin E.,
CosgriffHernandez Elizabeth M.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
macromolecular materials and engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.913
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1439-2054
pISSN - 1438-7492
DOI - 10.1002/mame.201400101
Subject(s) - intimal hyperplasia , materials science , compliance (psychology) , limiting , polyurethane , biomedical engineering , composite material , medicine , mechanical engineering , smooth muscle , engineering , psychology , social psychology
Current synthetic vascular grafts have poor patency rates in small diameter applications (<6 mm) due to intimal hyperplasia arising from a compliance mismatch between the graft and artery. In this work, a semi‐interpenetrating network (semi‐IPN) approach was used to improve graft compliance without sacrificing burst pressure. The effects of heat treatment on graft morphology, fiber architecture, and resultant biomechanical properties are presented. Compliance values as high as 9.2 ± 2.7 %/mmHg 10 ‐4 were observed for the semi‐IPN graft while also maintaining high burst pressure, 1780 ± 230 mm Hg. The high compliance of these heat‐treated polyurethane and semi‐IPN grafts is expected to improve long‐term patency rates beyond even saphenous vein autografts by limiting intimal hyperplasia.