Biodegradable polymeric occluder with controllable locking structure for closure of atrial septal defect via interventional treatment

Atrial septal defect (ASD) is one of the major congenital heart diseases, and transcatheter closure with a cardiac occluder is a modern method to treat ASD with the advantage of mini-invasiveness over traditional surgical closure. While current occlusion devices are mainly made of non-degradable nitinol with superelasticity, the permanent existence of a metal <i>in vivo</i> may trigger potential complications and especially has an adverse effect on the heart development for children. However, it is challenging to invent a superelasticity-free occluder that can be delivered through a catheter but firmly locked after being opened at the target site; it is also much desired for research and development to quickly assess the feasibility of a superelasticity-free occluder <i>in vitro</i>. Herein, a biodegradable poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) occluder composed of a braided PLLA frame as the skeleton and a nonwoven PLLA fabric as the flow-blocking membrane is developed, and a controllable locking structure is designed to enable firm closure for a device even without superelasticity. We also suggest and justify a series of <i>in vitro</i> methods to assess the efficacy of the biodegradable occluder, and the results confirm the reliability of locking, water-blocking, mechanical strength and degradability. It is found that the PLLA fabric with moderate fiber density is optimal for surface endothelialization. We also carry out biological assessments; significant endothelialization and alleviated inflammation response are observed after 6 months of subcutaneous implantation into rabbits. The porcine model illustrates that the biodegradable polymeric occluder can be successfully implanted into the atrial septum via transcatheter intervention; the follow-ups have confirmed the safety and efficacy of this biodegradable polymeric occluder with the controllable locking structure.