An electrospun protein-and chromophore-loaded patch:application to laser-assisted vascular anastomosis

Laser-assisted vascular anastomosis (LAVA) is a technique to fuse blood vessels by using laser energy with possible applications in almost all medical fields. This technique is based on the energy absorption by a chromophore with subsequent heating of the underlying tissue. The focus of this thesis was the development of an electrospun solder patch and the exploration of the applicability of the patch for LAVA using medium-sized arteries. Current challenges in the development of a new biomaterial and soldering technique for sutureless LAVA are discussed and can guide future research