3D-Printed Micrograters for Sampling of the Blood Vessel Wall

Endothelial cells lining blood vessels have phenotypic variations that indicate the health/disease status for a variety of conditions, including atherosclerosis and hypertension. Current sampling strategies lead to a high variation in the sampled amount, and we are not aware of sampling tools specifically targeting endothelial cells. Here, we present a new type of endovascular catheter for sampling of the blood vessel wall. The catheter is a 380 μm nitinol tube over which 3D printed graters are threaded. The catheter is designed to be non-invasive during the axial motion and to interact with the blood vessel wall when rotated. Initial results indicate successful in-vivo sampling - with minimal blood contamination - of the wall of blood vessels less than 0.5 mm in diameter.