MRes Atherosclerotic Lesion Mimics - developing synthetic tissue mocks for use in medical device development

Project Objectives
Atherosclerotic lesions have been extensively tested and well characterised but not yet synthetically duplicated. This research aims to develop synthetic tissue mocks for use in medical device development. Objectives include:
i. Group the range of Atherosclerotic lesion types based on their mechanical properties.
ii. Develop synthetic material recipes and methodologies for production of the range of Atherosclerotic lesion composite mocks.
iii. Develop method of deploying mock lesions in COTS synthetic arterial mechanical mocks (e.g. Syndaver Labs
http://syndaver.com/).

Methodology proposed
i. Identify other materials with similar mechanical properties to each subset of lesion type.
ii. Examine methodologies for combining materials to form these tissue composites. Similar to
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20172784
iii. Carry out mechanical testing of mock lesion types to validate their construction.
iv. Develop method to manufacture lesion topographies.
v. Investigate methods of adhering lesions to mock arterial tissue.
vi. Develop FEA models of the mock tissue types.

Expected outcomes: (e.g. deliverables & strategic impacts)
Atherosclerotic lesions are complex composite materials formed from collagen, elastin components (smooth muscle cells), micro vessels and calcifications.

Tissue (lesion) mocks reduces the need for medical device designers and manufactures to acquire cadaveric tissue samples post mortem (often rare and difficult to detect, remove and store). These (inexpensive) tissue mocks can be used for medical device development and characterisation (Guidewire distillation, Balloon and Stent deployment, Therapeutic Ultrasonic ablation and new techniques). Expedites the advances in treatment technologies Test bed for furthering research into medical device development used for effectively treating these lesions.

Create and validate FEA models coupled with testing of the mocks under the action of removal devices/treatments.

Drive an industry standard using these materials and a baseline for qualifying new medical devices.

Targeting:

International Conference on Tissue Biomechanics and Advanced Mechanobiology.Vascular Annual Meeting.

Research Core / Group
EngCORE http://www.engcore.ie