3D Bioprinting to Help With Heart Transplant Efficiency

According to the World Health Organization, roughly 17.9 million lives are taken each year because of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). In fact, they are the leading cause of death globally, . Heart transplantation, or heart grafting, is the most effective long-term treatment; however, it is associated with various complications. One of the major risks after transplantation is rejection, which can ultimately result in the death of the patient.

However, a team of researchers from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) has made significant progress in reducing deaths caused by heart disease. They have achieved this feat by utilizing additive manufacturing to create human heart tissue using customized bio-ink, which is expected to minimize complications and the risk of rejection.

Rejection is avoided by using the body’s own stem cells (photo credits: UTS)

Head of the Cardiovascular Regeneration Group at UTS, Dr. Carmine Gentile, stated that they have developed a groundbreaking technology that enables them to 3D model and bioprint personalized hearts for transplantation using the patient’s own stem cells. As a result, there is no risk of rejection. The 3D-printed heart tissue, which is only half the size of a nail, has enormous potential. It can be used to regenerate damaged organs after a heart attack, and it can also eliminate the need for animal experimentation. The process begins with a scan of the entire heart to create a 3D model of the area that requires transplantation, and a heart patch that covers the damaged region is also modeled. The information is then used by the bioprinter to create beating heart tissue from the bioink that contains the patient’s stem cells.