3D Bioprinting for Cardiovascular Applications

A heart transplant is considered the gold standard treatment for end-stage heart failure patients, however the operation is reliant on organ donors and poses several clinical and economical risk factors. Tissue engineering has shown promise in providing a future alternative for organ transplants. The potential for mimicking native healthy tissue has been brought closer to realisation with 3D bioprinting. The method allows for precise deposition of cellular material into biomaterials suitable for transplantation. By culturing the cellular material using patient stem cells, the 3D bioprinted transplant can be personalised for each patient. This book chapter presents the current state of 3D bioprinting applied in developing personalised cardiac patches. An overview of cardiac anatomy and the impact of myocardial infarction is followed by a comparison of 3D bioprinting methods, commonly used biomaterials, and the characteristics of cells and cellular spheroids. This is followed by a review of findings from animal studies using 3D bioprinted cardiac patches to date and highlights the challenges of translating the method for clinical studies. Biological and design considerations for developing personalised cardiac patches conclude the review leading to the discussion of the chapter findings.