Successful results in tissue engineering are dependent upon the interaction between the medical device and the biological environment. We have designed scaffolds with certain mechanical stability and degradability, size, surface roughness, functionality and porosity to provide a microenvironment for sufficient cell–cell interaction, cell migration, proliferation and differentiation.<br/>We have recently focused on the production process, used every step to generate a device with beneficial material properties. Knitted devices are used in many clinical applications today and 3D printed devices are getting closer to the clinical environment. These processes have in common that they are fiber based and that the device is fabricated with precision and repeatability.<br/>We have assessed the rheological properties and melt stability of medical grade degradable polymers, produced fibers in order to understand the structure-processing relationship. We have defined the important material changes that take place during the process from polymer melt to fiber formation and following post treatment. We have varied the structure-processing relationship and the architecture of the fiber based device and correlated this with mechanical properties and degradation profile. This knowledge have subsequently been used to 1) design fibers that resorb fast when the mechanical properties are lost 2) print soft and pliable 3D scaffolds.<br/>The results give important understanding in how to produce successful fiber based degradable medical devices for soft tissue engineering.<br/>A holistic approach is critical for covering the contribution of material issues, structural design issues and processing issues and the interactions among them.

Designing fiber-based, degradable 3D porous scaffolds suitable for soft tissue engineering

2019 Fall National Meeting

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