Lower Extremity Bypass Graft With Physiologic Longitudinal Pre-Stretch
Project Description:
This research project aims to develop and evaluate advanced synthetic substitutes for leg arteries that mimic native artery biomechanics. The key innovation of these substitutes, also called vascular grafts, is a feature called Longitudinal Pre-Stretch (LPS), which is a in-built feature of healthy leg arteries that prevents them from buckling and kinking during knee flexion. Existing synthetic grafts lack LPS due to the limitations of existing biomaterials that cannot deform like native arteries. Consequently, these grafts are prone to buckling during knee movement, leading to blood flow obstruction and potential graft failure.
To address this issue, the project employs a novel nanomanufacturing approach to replicate the complex mechanical properties of native leg arteries and incorporate LPS into synthetic grafts. The developed prototypes will undergo preclinical testing to assess how LPS affects graft biomechanics and functionality. This research is expected to enhance our understanding of LPS in vascular function and support the creation of biomimetic vascular grafts with improved clinical outcomes.