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“9.61x6.69” b2815 Tissue Engineering and Nanotheranostics

Chapter 2

Characterization of Biomaterial

Patches as Fetal Surgery Implants

Rigwed Tatu and Chia-Ying Lin,†,‡

*Department of Biomedical Engineering

†Department of Orthopedic Surgery

‡Department of Neurosurgery

University of Cincinnati

Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA

Abstract: Fetal research has a considerable impact on the life of a

child and his family, making it extremely critical for the scientific

community. Biomaterial implants used in hernia repair and aortic

arch reconstruction are also employed for open fetal surgery and

fetoscopic applications. The internal environment around the fetus

is drastically different compared to an abdominal or cardiac setting,

and needs to be studied further with regards to the pH changes,

mechanical impact during fetal growth, and degradation profiles.

These studies will in-turn affect the desired properties of polymeric

implants used in fetal surgery, and also the characterizations to

be performed. What we learn from them will not only help us

understand the property requirements of the implants, but also aid in

realizing the relationship between the fetal tissues and the implants.

This chapter reviews the range of characterizations carried out on

polymeric implants used in abdominal and cardiac applications,