Small-caliber artificial blood vessels:problems and prospects / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:Long-term patency rate of smal-caliber artificial blood vessels is stil the most important issue to be solved. OBJECTIVE:To review the materials and fabrication technologies of smal-caliber artificial blood vessels as wel as endothelialization of smal-caliber artificial blood vessels. METHODS:A computer-based search of PubMed (2000-2013) and Wanfang database (2003-2013) was done for relevant articles using the key words of“smal-caliber, vascular graft, electrospun, layer-by-layer assembly, endothelialization”in English and Chinese, respectively. A total of 125 articles were retrieved, and final y, 41 were included for further analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:At present, smal-caliber vascular graft materials include natural biological materials, biodegradable polymers, composite materials and xenogeneic biomaterials. Preparation technologies of smal-caliber artificial blood vessels mainly include electrospinning, self-assembly, rapid prototyping, and gel spinning. Numerous methods can elicit endothelialization of smal-caliber artificial blood vessels, but each method has its flaws and cannot ensure long-term patency radical y. With the development and diversification of preparation technologies and in-depth study of endothelialization of vascular prostheses, the long-term patency of smal-caliber artificial blood vessels wil gradual y be resolved.