How well do 3D-printed tissue mimics represent the complex mechanics of biological soft tissues? An example study with Stratasys' cardiovascular TissueMatrix materials
Grace N. Bechtel, Colton J. Kostelnik, Manuel K. Rausch
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Tissue mimicking materials are designed to represent real tissue in applications such as medical device testing and surgical training. Thanks to progress in 3D-printing technology, tissue mimics can now be easily cast into arbitrary geometries and manufactured with adjustable material properties to mimic a wide variety of tissue types. However, it is unclear how well 3D-printable mimics represent real tissues and their mechanics. The objective of this work is to fill this knowledge gap using the Stratasys Digital Anatomy 3D-Printer as an example. To this end, we created mimics of biological tissues we previously tested in our laboratory: blood clots, myocardium, and tricuspid valve leaflets. We printed each tissue mimic to have the identical geometry to its biological counterpart and tested the samples using identical protocols. In our evaluation, we focused on the stiffness of the tissues and their fracture toughness in the case of blood clots. We found that the mechanical behavior of the tissue mimics often differed substantially from the biological tissues they aim to represent. Qualitatively, tissue mimics failed to replicate the traditional strain-stiffening behavior of soft tissues. Quantitatively, tissue mimics were stiffer than their biological counterparts, especially at small strains, in some cases by orders of magnitude. In those materials in which we tested toughness, we found that tissue mimicking materials were also much tougher than their biological counterparts. Thus, our work highlights limitations of at least one 3D-printing technology in its ability to mimic the mechanical properties of biological tissues. Therefore, care should be taken when using this technology, especially where tissue mimicking materials are expected to represent soft tissue properties quantitatively. Whether other technologies fare better remains to be seen.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A is an international, interdisciplinary, English-language publication of original contributions concerning studies of the preparation, performance, and evaluation of biomaterials; the chemical, physical, toxicological, and mechanical behavior of materials in physiological environments; and the response of blood and tissues to biomaterials. The Journal publishes peer-reviewed articles on all relevant biomaterial topics including the science and technology of alloys,polymers, ceramics, and reprocessed animal and human tissues in surgery,dentistry, artificial organs, and other medical devices. The Journal also publishes articles in interdisciplinary areas such as tissue engineering and controlled release technology where biomaterials play a significant role in the performance of the medical device.
The Journal of Biomedical Materials Research is the official journal of the Society for Biomaterials (USA), the Japanese Society for Biomaterials, the Australasian Society for Biomaterials, and the Korean Society for Biomaterials.
Articles are welcomed from all scientists. Membership in the Society for Biomaterials is not a prerequisite for submission.