Faculty Collaboration Database

Cardiac Valve Bioreactor for Physiological Conditioning and Hydrodynamic Performance Assessment. Cardiovasc Eng Technol 2019 Mar;10(1):80-94

Date

10/13/2018

Pubmed ID

30311149

Pubmed Central ID

PMC6541400

DOI

10.1007/s13239-018-00382-2

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85061993924 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   12 Citations

Abstract

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.

Author List

Tefft BJ, Choe JA, Young MD, Hennessy RS, Morse DW, Bouchard JA, Hedberg HJ, Consiglio JF, Dragomir-Daescu D, Simari RD, Lerman A

Author

Brandon J. Tefft PhD Associate Professor in the Biomedical Engineering department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Animals
Bioprosthesis
Bioreactors
Cell Culture Techniques
Cell Survival
Equipment Design
Heart Valve Prosthesis
Heart Valves
Humans
Hydrodynamics
Mice
NIH 3T3 Cells
Prosthesis Design
Time Factors
Tissue Engineering