Citrate-Coated Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Facilitate Endothelialization of Left Ventricular Assist Device Impeller for Improved Antithrombogenicity.

Although left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are an alternative to heart transplantation, their artificial surfaces often lead to serious thrombotic complications requiring high-risk device replacement. Coating blood-contacting surfaces with antithrombogenic endothelial cells is considered an effective strategy for preventing thrombus formation. However, this concept has not yet been successfully implemented in LVADs, as severe cell loss is to be expected, especially on the impeller surface with high prothrombogenic supraphysiological shear stress.

Development of a dual-component infection-resistant arterial replacement for small-caliber reconstructions: A proof-of-concept study.

Synthetic vascular grafts perform poorly in small-caliber (<6mm) anastomoses, due to intimal hyperplasia and thrombosis, whereas homografts are associated with limited availability and immunogenicity, and bioprostheses are prone to aneurysmal degeneration and calcification. Infection is another important limitation with vascular grafting. This study developed a dual-component graft for small-caliber reconstructions, comprising a decellularized tibial artery scaffold and an antibiotic-releasing, electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL)/polyethylene glycol (PEG) blend sleeve.

Biohybrid lung Development: Towards Complete Endothelialization of an Assembled Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenator.

Towards the establishment of a long-term lung-assist device to be used both as a bridge and as an alternative to lung transplantation according to final destination therapy, we develop the biohybrid lung (BHL) on the technical basis of contemporary extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Here, to overcome the significant drawbacks of ECMO, in particular the missing hemocompatibility of the artificial surfaces, all blood-contacting areas need to be endothelialized sufficiently. In continuation of our recent accomplishments, demonstrating the feasibility of establishing a physiological acting endothelial cell (EC) monolayer on the hollow fiber membranes (HFMs) of the ECMO in vitro, the next step towards BHL translation is the endothelialization of the complete oxygenator, consisting of HFMs and the surrounding housing.

Towards Biohybrid Lung Development: Establishment of a Porcine In Vitro Model.

Lung transplantation (LTx) is the only curative therapy option for patients with end-stage lung diseases, though only available for chosen patients. To provide an alternative treatment option to LTx, we aim for the development of an implantable biohybrid lung (BHL) based on hollow fiber membrane (HFM) technology used in extracorporeal membrane oxygenators. Crucial for long-lasting BHL durability is complete hemocompatibility of all blood contacting surfaces, which can be achieved by their endothelialization.

Towards Biohybrid Lung Development-Fibronectin-Coating Bestows Hemocompatibility of Gas Exchange Hollow Fiber Membranes by Improving Flow-Resistant Endothelialization.

To provide an alternative treatment option for patients with end-stage lung disease, we aim for biohybrid lung development (BHL) based on hollow fiber membrane (HFM) technology used in extracorporeal membrane oxygenators. For long-term BHL application, complete hemocompatibility of all blood-contacting surfaces is indispensable and can be achieved by their endothelialization. Indeed, albumin/heparin (AH) coated HFM enables initial endothelialization, but as inexplicable cell loss under flow conditions was seen, we assessed an alternative HFM coating using fibronectin (FN).