Regeneration and Reinforcement of the Aorta Using Scaffolds Composed of Biodegradable Non-Woven Fabric in a Dog Experiment: A Preliminary Report for a Rapid Communication

Abstract

To regenerate the aorta we devised a new vascular scaffold with multilayered tube structure. The innermost layer was a fabric tube made of poly (lactide/caprolactone) produced by electro-spinning method. Fabric roles of poly (lactide/caprolactone) and/or poly (lactide) produced by melt-blow or knit method were overlying the innermost layer. An outer layer of anastomotic site was covered with a role of poly (glycolic acid) fabric produced by melt-blow method. The multilayered vascular scaffold was implanted in the native abdominal aorta of dog. Chronological observation of tissue regeneration and graft degradation were also conducted in rats and dogs for detail analyses. The aorta was regenerated in 10 months in almost similar structure to the native aorta. In the early phase after implantation, the outer polymer layers, initially polymer fabrics themselves, were replaced by self-organizing membranes. The outer layers were considered to work for reinforcement of the innermost layer. The fabrics of innermost tube maintained the original structure and degraded slowly. In conclusion the new vascular scaffold can regenerate the canine aorta with almost similar structure to the native aorta.