3D bioprinting and its potential impact on cardiac failure treatment: An industry perspective

Ravi K Birla; Stuart K Williams

doi:10.1063/1.5128371

3D bioprinting and its potential impact on cardiac failure treatment: An industry perspective

APL Bioeng. 2020 Feb 18;4(1):010903. doi: 10.1063/1.5128371. eCollection 2020 Mar.

Authors

Ravi K Birla¹, Stuart K Williams²

Affiliations

¹ BIOLIFE4D, Houston, Texas 77021, USA.
² Bioficial Organs Program, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, USA.

Abstract

3D printing technologies are emerging as a disruptive innovation for the treatment of patients in cardiac failure. The ability to create custom devices, at the point of care, will affect both the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac diseases. The introduction of bioinks containing cells and biomaterials and the development of new computer assisted design and computer assisted manufacturing systems have ushered in a new technology known as 3D bioprinting. Small scale 3D bioprinting has successfully created cardiac tissue microphysiological systems. 3D bioprinting provides an opportunity to evaluate the assembly of specific parts of the heart and most notably heart valves. With the continuous development of instrumentation and bioinks and a complete understanding of cardiac tissue development, it is proposed that 3D bioprinting may permit the assembly of a heart described as a total biofabricated heart.