In Vitro Hydrodynamic Evaluation of a Scaffold for Heart Valve Tissue Engineering

Although prosthetic heart valves have saved many lives, the search for a living substitute continues with the aid of tissue engineering. Much progress has been made so far, but the translation of this technology to clinical reality remains a challenge, especially due to the structural complexity of heart valves and the harsh environment they are in. In a joint effort, researchers from Federal University of ABC and Institute Dante Pazzanese of Cardiology have conceived a new bioresorbable scaffold for heart valve tissue engineering (HVTE), whose hydrodynamic performance was first assessed and described in this work. The scaffold was studied at the mitral position of a left heart simulator from Escola Politécnica of the University of São Paulo, under 60 bpm and with no cell seeding. In this condition, two‐dimensional particle image velocimetry was performed to investigate the flow during diastolic and systolic phases. The results indicate that the scaffold can withstand the required intraventricular pressures for a simulated normal physiologic condition in a bioreactor. Furthermore, the averaged (N = 150) velocity vector maps showed a smooth and well‐distributed flow during diastole and qualitatively demonstrated no‐significant regurgitation at systole.