ABSTRACT
Background: Major vascular trauma requires immediate restoration of perfusion, yet conduit options for large-vessel reconstruction are limited. Autologous veins are poorly matched to the caliber of the aorta and iliac arteries and may be unavailable in polytrauma, whereas synthetic grafts are biologically inert, prone to neointimal hyperplasia, and vulnerable to infection in contaminated fields. Decellularized xenogeneic scaffolds have been proposed as tissue-engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs) but remain underexplored for large-diameter applications. This study aimed to develop a rapid perfusion-based decellularization protocol for porcine aortic scaffolds, evaluate the effects of glutaraldehyde (GA) crosslinking, and characterize the resulting mechanical properties as a first step toward a large-diameter TEVG for emergency vascular reconstruction. Material and Methods: Twelve porcine thoracic aortic segments were processed into three paired groups: untreated, decellularized, and decellularized plus GA-crosslinked. Decellularization used recirculating perfusion with sequential 1% Triton X-100 and 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate and was confirmed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Results: Decellularization significantly decreased the ultimate tensile stress compared to native tissue (4.09 ± 0.25 MPa vs. 5.34 ± 0.41 MPa, p < 0.0001) and also lowered Young’s modulus (p = 0.0024), but it did not affect failure strain (p = 0.7881). GA crosslinking brought the ultimate stress back to levels similar to native tissue (5.16 ± 0.71 MPa, p = 0.8352) and increased Young’s modulus beyond native values (5.93 ± 0.84 MPa, p = 0.0005), although it significantly reduced failure strain (p = 0.0006). Histological analysis confirmed complete nuclear removal with preserved fibrillar matrix structure. Conclusions: Rapid perfusion-based decellularization followed by GA crosslinking yielded large-diameter porcine aortic scaffolds with tensile strength restored to native levels and increased stiffness, at the cost of reduced extensibility. These findings establish a biomechanical basis for further development of decellularized porcine aortic conduits as off-the-shelf large-diameter TEVGs, pending in vivo evaluation of remodeling, patency, and infection resistance.