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Credit: https://longevity.technology/news/3d-printed-blood-vessel-can-monitor-its-own-health/

Artificial Arteries Give Doctors Access to Vital Vascular Data

September 20, 2020

Researchers have developed a revolutionary new method for creating self-monitoring artificial arteries.
The artificial vessels can monitor the pressure and movement of the artery and relay the information to physicians.
The 3D printing techniques used to manufacture the artificial blood vessel may one day be used to 3D print other organs.

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are taking smart technology to a new level. A team of engineers at the university has created artificial blood vessels which, after being implanted in a patient, can report pressure and vessel fluctuation to monitoring physicians. The artificial vessel can accurately measure minute electrical changes that occur when blood pushes on its walls. Doctors can use the data from the artificial blood vessel to measure blood pressure and changes in blood flow that could indicate a blockage within the patient’s circulatory system. Professor Xudong Wang developed the vessel as part of his material science research. Dr. Wang and his team used piezoceramic nanoparticles embedded in a polyvinylidene fluoride polymer. The final product is known as a ferroelectric biomaterial. Dr. Wang and his team printed the artificial artery using a consumer-grade 3D printer. The piezoelectric nanoparticles receive a charge as they are printed, preparing them to respond to changes in the vessel’s shape. When an electromagnetic field is applied outside the vessel, the nanoparticles react and indicate the small movements of the vessel. Scientists have not yet tested the artificial blood vessel in human patients, but the research and development are ongoing and promising. Researchers attached the vessel to an artificial heart and were able to test the vessel under extremes like high blood pressure or arterial blockages. Based on the encouraging early results, scientists are searching for new 3D printing processes to make the artificial blood vessel even more sensitive. The 3D printing techniques used by Dr. Wang and his team demonstrate a promising new approach to creating artificial organs. Research is ongoing into the possibility of 3D printing heart valves, tendons, and skin. Credit: https://longevity.technology/news/3d-printed-blood-vessel-can-monitor-its-own-health/

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Artificial Arteries Give Doctors Access to Vital Vascular Data

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