Preliminary study of a novel nanofiber-based valve integrated tubular graft as an alternative for a pulmonary valved artery

A suitable valve scaffold is necessary to replace the pulmonary artery in congenital heart disease (CHD) treatment, especially for children. For clinical and long-term success, biomechanics, biocompatibility, functionality and growth potential should be together taken into consideration to construct a tissue-engineered valve scaffold. In this study, a thermally induced phase separation (TIPS)-based strategy combining a three-dimensional (3D) printing mold was utilized to rapidly fabricate poly(L-lactic acid)/poly(L-lactide-co-e-caprolactone) (PLLA/PLCL) valve integrated scaffolds with a bionic structure. The novel valve integrated scaffolds exhibited favorable mechanical properties, in comparison to the porcine physiological pulmonary artery. Moreover, it satisfied functional performance in fluid, as demonstrated by the computational fluid dynamics simulation results. H&E and Masson staining further confirmed its excellent biocompatibility and vascularization in vivo, and fiber morphology and collagen production indicated its abundant extracellular matrix (ECM) secretion as well. Hence, the overall results supported that this original strategy was an efficient method to fabricate valve integrated scaffolds with potential value for clinical application of complex CHD.