Biomechanical characterization of fibrous polymeric scaffolds for the regeneration of urethral segments

CARLOS BUSATTO; FLORENCIA MONTINI BALLARIN; ANDREÍNA TESIS; RICARDO ARMENTANO; DIANA ESTENOZ; GUSTAVO ABRAHAM

Mar del Plata

Congreso; XII Latin-American Congress of Artificial Organs and Biomaterials; 2023

INTEMA (UNMdP-CONICET)

The objective of this work is to investigate the mechanical properties of tubular scaffolds that combine synthetic and natural polymers, with the aim of exploring their potential for urethra regeneration. The fibrous materials were fabricated by electrospinning and co-electrospinning using benign solvents. The polymer solutions employed include polycaprolactone (PCL) in acetic acid, poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) in water/ethanol and PEO/hyaluronic acid (HA) aqueous solutions. Three different constructs were created: PCL scaffolds, PCL/PEO-HA scaffolds and PCL/PEO scaffolds infiltrated with HA. In the case of PCL/PEO scaffolds, the low molecular weight PEO fibers were removed by water washing, followed by infiltration with a HA solution. SEM was employed to assess the fiber size and morphology, while the characteristic functional groups of the constructs were analyzed using FTIR. The mechanical properties of the scaffolds were evaluated using a continuous circulation biodynamic simulator. This allow for subjecting the urethral grafts to sinusoidal variations of internal pressure, mimicking the physiological bladder pressure ranges, and assessing their compliance and mechanical response in vitro.