Synthetic-Polymer-Based Cardiac Patches for MI-Induced Heart Failure Treatment: A Review

Myocardial infarction (MI) is one of the prevalent cardiovascular diseases, which is caused by obstruction of one or more coronary arteries, leading to cardiac tissue ischemia and death. One of the main consequences of MI is heart failure, which is defined as dysfunction of the heart muscle to pump blood into peripheral organs. Cardiac patches have drawn a lot of interest as a potentially effective way to restore damaged cardiac tissue and enhance its functionality. They are polymer-based scaffolds designed to be implanted on the heart surface, and they have shown a significant therapeutic effect in the treatment of MI by improving cardiac function and providing mechanical support for the infarction site by the delivery of various bioactive substances or cells. Several biomaterials with specific mechanical and chemical characteristics have been widely used as a scaffold in the process of fabricating cardiac patches. In this study, we focus on the latest developments in the manufacturing of synthetic-polymer-based cardiac patches used to treat heart failure induced by myocardial infarction. We describe the mechanical and chemical characteristics of several synthetic polymers and highlight the main benefits and drawbacks of each type. An overview of the major challenges and the future development directions in the field of cardiac patches is also highlighted.