Citation: Lu, J.; Hu, X.; Yuan, T.;
Cao, J.; Zhao, Y.; Xiong, C.; Li, K.;
Ye, X.; Xu, T.; Zhao, J. 3D-Printed
Poly (P-Dioxanone) Stent for
Endovascular Application: In Vitro
Evaluations. Polymers 2022, 14, 1755.
https://doi.org/10.3390/
polym14091755
Academic Editors: Ludwig Cardon
and Clemens Holzer
Received: 9 March 2022
Accepted: 19 April 2022
Published: 26 April 2022
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Article
3D-Printed Poly (P-Dioxanone) Stent for Endovascular
Application: In Vitro Evaluations
Junlin Lu
1,†
, Xulin Hu
2,†
, Tianyu Yuan
3
, Jianfei Cao
4
, Yuanli Zhao
1,5
, Chengdong Xiong
6
, Kainan Li
2
,
Xun Ye
1,5,
*, Tao Xu
7,8,9,
* and Jizong Zhao
1,5,
*
1
Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, China;
ljl147258@outlook.com (J.L.); zhaoyuanli@bjtth.org (Y.Z.)
2
Clinical Medical College & Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu University,
Chengdu 610081, China; huxulin1993@163.com (X.H.); likainan1961@126.com (K.L.)
3
State Key Laboratory for Turbulence and Complex Systems, Department of Mechanics and Engineering
Science, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; tyyuan@pku.edu.cn
4
School of Materials and Environmental Engineering, Chengdu Technology University,
Chengdu 610041, China; cjf@cdtu.edu.cn
5
Beijing Translational Engineering Enter for 3D Printer in Clinical Neuroscience, Beijing 100070, China
6
Chengdu Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China;
xiongcdcioc@163.com
7
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
8
Bio-Intelligent Manufacturing and Living Matter Bioprinting Center, Research Institute of Tsinghua
University in Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518057, China
9
East China Institute of Digital Medical Engineering, Shangrao 334000, China
* Correspondence: yexun@bjtth.org (X.Y.); taoxu@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn (T.X.); zhaojizong@bjtth.org (J.Z.)
† These authors contributed equally to this work.
Abstract:
Rapid formation of innovative, inexpensive, personalized, and quickly reproducible artery
bioresorbable stents (BRSs) is significantly important for treating dangerous and sometimes deadly
cerebrovascular disorders. It is greatly challenging to give BRSs excellent mechanical properties,
biocompatibility, and bioabsorbability. The current BRSs, which are mostly fabricated from poly-
l-lactide (PLLA), are usually applied to coronary revascularization but may not be suitable for
cerebrovascular revascularization. Here, novel 3D-printed BRSs for cerebrovascular disease enabling
anti-stenosis and gradually disappearing after vessel endothelialization are designed and fabricated
by combining biocompatible poly (p-dioxanone) (PPDO) and 3D printing technology for the first time.
We can control the strut thickness and vessel coverage of BRSs by adjusting the printing parameters to
make the size of BRSs suitable for small-diameter vascular use. We added bis-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)
carbodiimide (commercial name: stabaxol
®
-1) to PPDO to improve its hydrolytic stability without
affecting its mechanical properties and biocompatibility.
In vitro
cell experiments confirmed that
endothelial cells can be conveniently seeded and attached to the BRSs and subsequently demonstrated
good proliferation ability. Owing to the excellent mechanical properties of the monofilaments
fabricated by the PPDO, the 3D-printed BRSs with PPDO monofilaments support desirable flexibility,
therefore offering a novel BRS application in the vascular disorders field.
Keywords:
3D printing; intracranial aneurysm; poly (p-dioxanone); bioresorbable stents; endothelization
1. Introduction
Intracranial aneurysms are pathological dilations at cerebral arteries that affect 3~5%
of the adult population and cause substantial morbidity and mortality rates [
1
]. Microsur-
gical aneurysm clipping and endovascular stent-assisted coiling are two primary treatment
strategies due to their effectiveness in blocking the flow of the aneurysm and mitigat-
ing the risk for future aneurysm rupture, and they offer the possibility of subarachnoid
hemorrhage prevention [
2
]. Numerous studies have demonstrated that short-term and
Polymers 2022, 14, 1755. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14091755 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/polymers
