PURPOSE: Tissue engineered heart valves (TEHV) are being investigated to address the limitations of currently available valve prostheses. In order to advance a wide variety of TEHV approaches, the goal of this study was to develop a cardiac valve bioreactor system capable of conditioning living valves with a range of hydrodynamic conditions as well as capable of assessing hydrodynamic performance to ISO 5840 standards. METHODS: A bioreactor system was designed based on the Windkessel approach. Novel features including a purpose-built valve chamber and pressure feedback control were incorporated to maintain asepsis while achieving a range of hydrodynamic conditions. The system was validated by testing hydrodynamic conditions with a bioprosthesis and by operating with cell culture medium for 4 weeks and living cells for 2 weeks. RESULTS: The bioreactor system was able to produce a range of pressure and flow conditions from static to resting adult left ventricular outflow tract to pathological including hypertension. The system operated aseptically for 4 weeks and cell viability was maintained for 2 weeks. The system was also able to record the pressure and flow data needed to calculate effective orifice area and regurgitant fraction. CONCLUSIONS: We have developed a single bioreactor system that allows for step-wise conditioning protocols to be developed for each unique TEHV design as well as allows for hydrodynamic performance assessment.
PURPOSE: Tissue engineered heart valves (TEHV) are being investigated to address the limitations of currently available valve prostheses. In order to advance a wide variety of TEHV approaches, the goal of this study was to develop a cardiac valve bioreactor system capable of conditioning living valves with a range of hydrodynamic conditions as well as capable of assessing hydrodynamic performance to ISO 5840 standards. METHODS: A bioreactor system was designed based on the Windkessel approach. Novel features including a purpose-built valve chamber and pressure feedback control were incorporated to maintain asepsis while achieving a range of hydrodynamic conditions. The system was validated by testing hydrodynamic conditions with a bioprosthesis and by operating with cell culture medium for 4 weeks and living cells for 2 weeks. RESULTS: The bioreactor system was able to produce a range of pressure and flow conditions from static to resting adult left ventricular outflow tract to pathological including hypertension. The system operated aseptically for 4 weeks and cell viability was maintained for 2 weeks. The system was also able to record the pressure and flow data needed to calculate effective orifice area and regurgitant fraction. CONCLUSIONS: We have developed a single bioreactor system that allows for step-wise conditioning protocols to be developed for each unique TEHV design as well as allows for hydrodynamic performance assessment.
Authors: Christopher Noble; Kent Carlson; Erica Neumann; Bradley Lewis; Dan Dragomir-Daescu; Amir Lerman; Ahmet Erdemir; Melissa Young Journal: Med Nov Technol Devices Date: 2020-08-24
Authors: Christopher Noble; Kent D Carlson; Erica Neumann; Dan Dragomir-Daescu; Ahmet Erdemir; Amir Lerman; Melissa Young Journal: J Mech Behav Biomed Mater Date: 2019-09-27
Authors: Christopher Noble; Kent D Carlson; Erica Neumann; Sean Doherty; Dan Dragomir-Daescu; Amir Lerman; Ahmet Erdemir; Melissa Young Journal: J Mech Behav Biomed Mater Date: 2021-01-25
Authors: Steve W F R Waqanivavalagi; Sameer Bhat; Marcus B Ground; Paget F Milsom; Jillian Cornish Journal: J Cardiothorac Surg Date: 2020-09-18 Impact factor: 1.637