A 3D‐Printed Microvascular Surgery Training Platform With High‐Fidelity, Biomimetic Properties
Current vascular grafts face limitations including inadequate mechanical strength, inability to replicate small and complex anatomical structures, ethical concerns with animal-based training models, and high costs that limit accessibility. We developed a cytocompatible vascular graft fabrication platform combining dual-network hydrogels with high-resolution digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing to address these bottlenecks. Through systematic evaluation of hydrogel formulations, we identified a polyacrylamide-alginate-calcium dual-network system achieving tensile properties comparable to native vessels while enabling exceptional suture retention and structural integrity required for microsurgical applications. Integration with DLP printing enabled fabrication of ultra-small microchannels and complex branching vascular networks with patient-specific geometries derived from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. To fine-tune the material properties of the vessels, we developed a machine learning model that optimizes the bioink composition to achieve targeted mechanical properties. We further established an integrated microsurgery training platform combining 3D-printed vessels with essential surgical equipment, providing authentic haptic feedback at a significantly lower cost than commercial alternatives. Biological validation demonstrated robust endothelial cell viability and barrier formation. These studies demonstrated a comprehensive platform addressing multiple critical bottlenecks in vascular graft technology with potential for both accessible microsurgical training and future therapeutic applications in personalized vascular reconstruction.
Authors
- Jason Llaneras (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2036-9174)
- Lieselot L. G. Carrette (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5217-2774)
- Jiaao Guan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9304-4392)
- Reid Abrams
- Emma Berman
- Lin Huang
- Alexander Park
- Shaochen Chen
- Garrison Leach
- David B. Berry
- Krish Narotam
Institutions
- University of California San Diego (US)
- La Jolla Bioengineering Institute (US)
- Bioengineering Center (RU)
- University of California, Berkeley (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Small
- Published
- 2026-08-27
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.75497
- Primary Topic
- 3D Printing in Biomedical Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Science Foundation
- National Institutes of Health
- University of California, San Diego