Team Members: Joon Jeong, Zoe Chan, Connie Weng, Celia Jung, Katie Cariaga, Sophia Adams\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
This project designs and develops an interlocking biodegradable drug-eluting left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion device to reduce stroke risk in patients with atrial fibrillation. Current devices are permanent and can result in incomplete sealing, long-term complications, and the need for secondary procedures. Our design introduces an interlocking “seal-and-heal” mechanism using a polycaprolactone-based formulation that mechanically seals the appendage while slowly releasing paclitaxel to locally inhibit fibrosis and promote controlled healing, which enables sustained therapeutic delivery while minimizing systemic exposure. A computational model predicts degradation, molecular weight loss, and structural integrity as a function of geometry and material properties. A scalable and solvent-free manufacturing method via melt compounding and injection molding is proposed as a high-throughput and low-cost production method.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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