Title : Design and fabrication of an artificial vascular graft that mimics the anisotropic mechanical properties of native vessels
Abstract:
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), particularly coronary artery blockage, remain a leading cause of mortality worldwide. In severe cases unresponsive to pharmacotherapy or stenting, surgical vessel replacement is required; however, limited autograft availability and risks associated with allografts demand engineered artificial vascular grafts. This study presents a systematic engineering approach to design and fabricate a polymeric vascular graft that mimics the anisotropic mechanical behavior of native arteries. The mechanical support layer was designed using SolidWorks and fabricated via fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing using thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). To replicate the natural artery’s anisotropy (higher circumferential stiffness, lower axial stiffness), filamentous structures with optimized fiber angles were modeled. Prior to printing, finite element analysis (FEA) was performed using ANSYS software to evaluate stress distribution, strain behavior, and anisotropy under simulated physiological loading (pulsatile pressure of 120/80 mmHg). Tensile testing of the optimized 3D-printed structure revealed a circumferential elastic modulus of 8.28 MPa and an axial modulus of 1.65 MPa, closely matching native coronary artery mechanics. Integration of computational mechanical simulation (ANSYS), additive manufacturing (3D printing), enabled precise control over microscale anisotropic mechanics. This engineering driven design overcomes key limitations of existing synthetic grafts—namely mechanical mismatch—offering a scalable and patient-specific pathway toward next-generation artificial vascular grafts.
Keywords: 3D Printing, Anisotropic Mechanical Properties, Artificial Vascular Graft, Ansys Mechanical, Polyurethane.
