A special 3D printer for transplanting artificial blood vessels Saga University research plan August 23, 21:22
Interviews with relevant parties revealed that a research group at Saga University has submitted to the country a clinical research plan to assemble human cells with a special 3D printer to create an artificial blood vessel and transplant it to a patient undergoing artificial dialysis. It was. It seems to be the world's first transplantation of artificial blood vessels made of only cells with a 3D printer to humans, and the group will start clinical research this fall if the plan is accepted.
According to the people concerned, the research group submitted by Professor Koichi Nakayama and Assistant Professor Ito, Saga University School of Medicine, submitted the clinical research plan.
The group succeeded in cultivating human cells and creating three-dimensionally assembled artificial blood vessels with a special device called “Bio 3D printer” and transplanting them to pigs for half a year. It was confirmed that it is stronger than the artificial blood vessels made of plastic and has a low risk of rejection.
According to the officials, in order to confirm the safety of transplantation to humans, the approval of a nationally recognized external committee and on-campus review committee, clinical research transplanted to patients undergoing dialysis The plan was submitted to the country on the 22nd.
It is the world's first to transplant a human-made artificial blood vessel made of only cells with a 3D printer.
Patients with artificial dialysis repeatedly puncture the needle, and the blood vessels are easily damaged, and it is expected to reduce the burden by using artificial blood vessels made from cells.If the plan is accepted, the group recruits patients, and even in autumn I will start clinical research.
What are artificial blood vessels made of cells?
The artificial blood vessel is created by Prof. Nakayama et al.
The printer first inserts a tube into the hole in the culture dish and removes the cell mass in the hole.
At the end of this tube is a mass of cells about 0.5 mm in diameter.
Another idea is a small “Sword Mountain” with thin needles.
A block of cells is regularly inserted into the sword mountain set in the printer and assembled into a tube shape.
After that, continue to cultivate in the liquid for about one to two months, and finally remove Kenzan.
At this time, the cells are clumped together to form a blood vessel.
The diameter is about 7 mm.
It has the same elasticity as a real blood vessel.
It means that it can withstand pressure about 10 times the blood pressure inside the tube.
In an experiment in which an artificial blood vessel was transplanted into a pig, it was confirmed that the blood would behave in the same way as a normal blood vessel and functioned for half a year.