Biohybrid Vascular Graft Made of Textile-Reinforced Elastin-Like Recombinamers and Its Preservation via Drying Processes

This study developed and optimized textile-reinforced vascular grafts composed of elastin-like recombinamers (ELRs) crosslinked hydrogel and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) textile reinforcement. The work systematically compared the effects of different drying methods—lyophilization (LYO) and critical point drying using ethanol (ECPD) or acetone (ACPD)—on the mechanical, morphological, and biological performance of the biohybrid grafts. Tests showed ACPD best preserved graft morphology and mechanical properties, maintaining elasticity and compliance similar to native vessels. Grafts displayed suitable burst pressure (~930–1030 mmHg), excellent suture retention (>2× native arteries), and supported endothelial cell attachment after rehydration. The findings establish an optimized drying strategy for storage and sterilization of ELR-based grafts, enabling translation toward off-the-shelf vascular implants.