Evaluation of bacterial cellulose as a new patch material for closure of muscular ventricular septal defects

Objective: Bacterial Cellulose (BC) is an innovative biomaterial with unique properties such as high mechanical strength, high water content and poor degradation in vivo. The fiber network structures show similarities to those of collagen. Recent studies have shown that the BC might have a potential to be used as a scaffold in tissue engineering. Thus, aim of this study was evaluation of the in vivo biocompatibility of BC in the heart and the applicabilities as a patch material for muscular ventricular septal defects (mVSD).