Georgia Tech Researchers Develop Revolutionary 3D-Printed Bioresorbable Heart Valve

Each year, over 5 million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with heart valve disease, a condition often lacking long-term treatment options. Now, researchers at Georgia Tech have developed a groundbreaking solution: a 3D-printed bioresorbable heart valve. This innovative valve is designed to be absorbed by the body,promoting tissue regeneration and possibly eliminating the need for multiple surgeries,especially for pediatric patients.The project originated in the labs of Lakshmi Prasad Dasi and Scott Hollister at the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University.

A Paradigm Shift in Heart Valve Technology

Heart valve disease, affecting millions, occurs when a valve is damaged due to congenital defects, lifestyle choices, or aging, disrupting blood flow and potentially leading to life-threatening complications. Current treatments, such as valve replacement and repair, often require multiple surgeries. Most replacement valves are made from animal tissue and typically last 10 to 15 years. Pediatric patients face even greater challenges as their growing hearts necessitate repeated interventions.

the 3D-printed bioresorbable heart valve developed at Georgia Tech offers a promising alternative. Designed to fit each patient’s unique anatomy, the valve is absorbed by the body after implantation, replaced by new tissue that takes over its function. This approach aims to provide a more lasting and long-lasting solution.

Lakshmi Prasad Dasi, the Rozelle Vanda Wesley Professor in Biomedical engineering at Georgia Tech, emphasizes the revolutionary nature of this technology. this technology is very diffrent from most existing heart valves,and we believe it represents a paradigm shift, Dasi saeid. We are moving away from using animal tissue devices that don’t last and aren’t sustainable and into a new era where a heart valve can regenerate inside the patient.

Addressing the Needs of Pediatric Patients

One of the most notable advantages of this new technology is its potential to address the unique challenges faced by pediatric patients. Scott Hollister, a professor and Patsy and Alan Dorris Chair in Pediatric Technology, highlighted the importance of this approach for children. in pediatrics, one of the biggest challenges is that kids grow, and their heart valves change size over time, he said. As of this, children must undergo multiple surgeries to repair their valves as they grow. with this new technology, the patient can potentially grow new valve tissue and not have to worry about multiple valve replacements in the future.

How the Bioresorbable Heart Valve Works

the heart valve is constructed from poly(glycerol dodecanedioate), a biocompatible, resorbable material with shape memory properties. This allows the valve to be folded and delivered through a catheter, minimizing the need for invasive open-heart surgery. Once implanted, the valve returns to its original shape at body temperature and signals the body to generate new tissue. The device is fully absorbed within a matter of months.

Sanchita Bhat, a research scientist in Dasi’s lab, who first became involved in the project as a Ph.D. student, explained the project’s initial vision: From the start, the vision for the project was to move away from the one-size-fits-most approach that has been the status quo for heart valve design and manufacturing and toward a patient-specific implant that can outlast current devices.

Once you have an idea for an implant, it takes a lot of fine-tuning and optimization to arrive at the right design, material, and manufacturing parameters that work.It is an iterative process, and we’ve been testing these aspects in our systems to make sure the valves are doing what they’re supposed to do.

Srujana Joshi, a fourth-year Ph.D. student in Dasi’s lab

The durability of the valve is rigorously evaluated using computational models and benchtop studies. Dasi’s lab employs a heart simulation system that mimics real heart physiology, testing the valve under patient-specific pressure and flow conditions. Additionally, a separate machine assesses mechanical durability by simulating millions of heart cycles.

Looking Ahead: Future Applications and Clinical Trials

While Georgia Tech’s bioresorbable heart valve is unique in its combination of 3D printing, bioresorbable polymers, and patient-specific design, it aligns with other tissue-engineering and regenerative technologies aimed at reducing repeat surgeries and promoting natural healing. Companies like Xeltis are also developing bioresorbable heart valves that utilize the body’s natural healing process to regenerate heart valve tissue, serving as a scaffold that is gradually absorbed as new tissue forms.

Developing a material that effectively performs heart valve function while promoting tissue regeneration presents considerable challenges. Medical devices must undergo extensive testing before receiving approval for clinical use. The researchers at Georgia Tech are initially focusing on making the technology available for pediatric patients, who frequently enough have limited treatment options.

The hope is that we will start with the pediatric patients who can benefit from this technology when ther is no other treatment available to them, Dasi said. Than we hope to show, over time, that there’s no reason why all valves shouldn’t be made this way.

Contributors and Funding

The advancement of this innovative bioresorbable heart valve was a collaborative effort involving several researchers, including Harsha Ramaraju, Ryan Akman, Adam Verga, David Rozen, Satheesh Kumar Harikrishnan, and Hieu Bui. The project was supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH/NHLBI R21-126004).