Smart Shape-Memory Polymeric String for the Contraction of Blood Vessels in Fetal Surgery of Sacrococcygeal Teratoma

Shape-memory polymers (SMPs) are promising materials in numerous emerging biomedical applications owing to their unique shape-memory characteristics. However, simultaneous realization of high strength, toughness, stretchability while maintaining high shape fixity (R-f) and shape recovery ratio (R-r) remains a challenge that hinders their practical applications. Herein, a novel shape-memory polymeric string (SMP string) that is ultra-stretchable (up to 1570%), strong (up to 345 MPa), tough (up to 237.9 MJ m(-3)), and highly recoverable (R-f averagely above 99.5%, R-r averagely above 99.1%) through a facile approach fabricated solely by tetra-branched poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) is reported. Notably, the shape-memory contraction force (up to 7.97 N) of this SMP string is customizable with the manipulation of their energy storage capacity by adjusting the string thickness and stretchability. In addition, this SMP string displays a controllable shape-memory response time and demonstrates excellent shape-memory-induced contraction effect against both rigid silicone tubes and porcine carotids. This novel SMP string is envisioned to be applied in the contraction of blood vessels and resolves the difficulties in the restriction of blood flow in minimally invasive surgeries such as fetoscopic surgery of sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT).

Automated summary

This article reports a novel shape-memory polymeric string that is ultra-stretchable, strong, tough, and highly recoverable. The contraction force of this string can be customized by adjusting the energy storage capacity, and it displays a controllable shape-memory response time. It has potential applications in blood vessel contraction in minimally invasive surgeries.