ABSTRACT
Cardiovascular disease remains one of the major causes of death globally, and a heart transplant is the gold standard treatment for end-stage heart failure patients. However, a successful transplantation is dependent on organ donor’s limited availability and poses several clinical and economical risk factors for the patient, their families and more broadly the whole health system.
3D bioprinting technologies combined with tissue engineering and regenerative medicine have shown promising results in better recapitulating the natural microenvironment of the human body and in providing a future alternative for organ transplants. In this approach, the precise deposition of cellular material in permissive biomaterials suitable for tissue-specific cells has demonstrated advancements for cardiac tissue transplantation. In particular, the use of patient-derived stem cells for 3D bioprinting provides a personalised treatment specific for each patient, which also prevents the risk of rejection and may lead to faster recovery following the surgical procedure. This book chapter presents the current state of 3D bioprinting technologies applied for personalised cardiac patches. First, an overview of human cardiac anatomy and the impact of myocardial infarction are then followed by a comparison of 3D bioprinting methods, commonly used biomaterials, and the characteristics of cells and cellular spheroids. This is followed by a closer look at animal studies using 3D bioprinted cardiac patches to date and highlights major challenges for the translation of this approach to the clinic. Finally, considerations around biological and design requirements to develop personalised cardiac patches are introduced for future potential directions in cardiovascular 3D bioprinting.
