Influence of Supraphysiologic Biomaterial Stiffness on Ventricular Mechanics and Myocardial Infarct Reinforcement

Abstract

41Injectable intramyocardial biomaterials have promise to limit adverse ventricular 42 remodeling through mechanical and biologic mechanisms. While some success has 43 been observed by injecting materials to regenerate new tissue, optimal biomaterial 44 stiffness to thicken and stiffen infarcted myocardium to limit adverse remodeling has 45 not been determined. In this work, we present an in-vivo study of the impact of 46 biomaterial stiffness over a wide range of stiffness moduli on ventricular mechanics.

Tunable biomaterials for myocardial tissue regeneration: promising new strategies for advanced biointerface control and improved therapeutic outcomes

“…A multitude of studies have been conducted on the use of hydrogels to reduce adverse remodeling of the infarcted myocardium through mechanical mechanisms, namely increase in wall thickness, infarct stiffening, and reduction of mechanical wall stress. [202][203][204][205] Ghanta et al 206 recently investigated the influence of biomaterial stiffness on post-infarct ventricular mechanics and negative remodeling. In particular, 3 different injectable PEG based hydrogels were synthesized with varying mechanical moduli namely 5 kPa (low), 25 kPa (medium/myocardium), and 250 kPa (high/supraphysiologic).…”