Biohybrid microvascular interponates with integrated elastin-like recombinamers – validation of stability and biomimetic elasticity in human vessels

This ex vivo study evaluates a novel biohybrid microvascular interposition graft designed for microsurgical reconstruction, combining elastin-like recombinamers (ELRs) with a textile-reinforced architecture to achieve biomimetic elasticity and mechanical robustness. The grafts were fabricated with a warp-knitted PET textile core embedded within an ELR hydrogel matrix to replicate the compliance and elastic recoil of native human vessels. Mechanical performance was benchmarked against human radial arteries and autologous saphenous vein grafts using compliance testing, burst pressure analysis, and tensile strength measurements. The ELR biohybrid grafts exhibited significantly higher compliance than native arteries across physiological pressure ranges while maintaining burst pressures exceeding five times physiological blood pressure. Tensile testing of artery–graft–artery interpositions demonstrated superior anastomotic strength compared to artery–vein–artery controls. Collectively, the results demonstrate that ELR-based biohybrid microvascular grafts offer mechanically favorable and surgically compatible alternatives to autologous vein grafts for microvascular interposition in reconstructive surgery. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}