Delaney Villarreal

Abstract Implanting biomaterials gives rise to the foreign body response (FBR), a complex cascade consisting of blood-material interactions, provisional matrix formation, inflammation, wound healing, and remodeling. While tissue engineering seeks to harness this host response to transform implanted materials into living tissue, the FBR can drive various complications that undermine construct function and longevity with significant clinical impact for patients.

Abstract Advancements in congenital heart surgery have heightened the importance of durable biomaterials for adult survivors. Dystrophic calcification poses a significant risk to the long-term viability of prosthetic biomaterials in these procedures. Herein, we describe the natural history of calcification in the most frequently used vascular conduits, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene grafts.