Abstract 16588: A Conductive Biomaterial Patch to Repair a Cardiac Defect

Introduction: Both stable and biodegradable biomaterials have been used to repair cardiac defects or stabilize the myocardial infarct after an MI. However, none of these biomaterials conducts electrical activity and all further increase asynchronous contraction. They may contribute to arrhythmias. This study evaluated the conductivity and efficiency of a newly synthesized conductive polypyrrole-chitosan (PPy-Chi) gelfoam patch in vitro for cardiomyocyte function and cardiac repair in vivo. Methods: The PPy-Chi conductive biomaterial was injected into gelfoam (Gel) to form a 3-dimensional conductive PPy-Chi patch. The tensile strength was evaluated by stress-strain curves. Conductivity was measured with two-probe cyclic voltammetry and ECG voltammetry. In vitro, biocompatibility was investigated using cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes in the Gel, Chi, or PPy-Chi patches (n=8/group). In vivo, a full thickness right ventricular outflow tract defect was created in adult rats after cryoinjury and patches we...