Biological evaluation of femtosecond-laser-textured Fe–Mn alloys for vascular applications

Biodegradable metals represent a valuable solution for the development of temporary vascular implants. These areexpected to dissolve in the body over time, avoiding side effects typical of permanent implants, such as thrombosis,in-stent restenosis and chronic inflammation. Iron (Fe)-based alloys, such as iron–manganese (Mn) alloys, are ofparticular interest for cardiovascular applications due to their intrinsic properties. However, their degradationbehavior and biological performance need to be improved. Femtosecond (fs)-laser-induced surface topography couldaffect both their degradation and cell–material interaction. In this work, fs-laser-induced patterning was performedon a Fe–Mn20 alloy to tune both the degradation behavior of the material and its interaction with the biologicalenvironment for cardiovascular applications. Processing parameters were varied to select an optimized surfacemorphology, characterized by linear grooves. Profilometric analysis, scanning electron microscopy and degradationrate analysis were performed on the treated samples. Thereafter, endothelial cell viability tests andhemocompatibility assessment were carried out on selected process conditions. The obtained fs-laser-induced linearpatterns were demonstrated to decrease the degradation rate and to improve the biological response toward bothendothelial cells and blood. These results demonstrate how fs-laser-induced patterning is a promising solution forthe development of biodegradable metal-based vascular implants.