Development of recipient-matched engineered heart tissue using 3D printing

Abstract

Objectives: Engineered pouch-like heart muscle constructs can be applied as heart-embracing cardiac grafts in vivo and might be used as biological ventricular assist devices (BioVAD®). Implantation studies showed micro-gaps between the graft and native heart due to a shape mismatch. The incoherence can lead to electrical coupling problems and loss of support force. Here we developed a procedure to create BioVADs individually matched to the recipient heart.