Abstract
Due to their fibrous structures and various textile construction possibilities, textile structures demonstrate a lot of versatile characteristics. They perform different functions and tasks like for example tissue replacement and tissue augmentation or serve as carrier or scaffold for cells. Textile fabrics like woven fabrics, warp and weft knits or nonwovens have different properties depending on the textile construction (kind of binding, main fiber orientation), which may be used to accomplish an indication-specific function. Biocompatibility and in vivo behavior of a medical device are also influenced by the structure of the product: in the case of textile structures the most important parameters are the kind of construction, wall thickness, yarn size, porosity, and pore size as well as surface roughness. Novel or improved polymeric materials are developed, which in combination with polymeric membrane systems will enable a new generation of implants in the form of biohybrid organs. The combination with stents used as micro-invasive OP systems will reduce operative procedure and the operation risks.