An Injectable Nanofiber-Hydrogel Composite with Interfacial Bonding for Soft Tissue Filling and Regeneration.

INTRODUCTION: Restoration of acquired, congenital, or age-related soft tissue defects using autologous or implantable materials can cause donor site morbidity, infection, device failure, and fibrosis. Injectable fillers are limited by variable resorption and fat grafting causes necrosis in large volumes. An alternative approach using the body’s regenerative capacity and an injectable synthetic scaffold would allow immediate restoration of form while permitting native tissue regeneration. We developed a novel nanofiber-hydrogel composite using FDAapproved materials with optimal biomechanical properties, porosity, crosslinking density, and interfacial bonding to maintain immediate 3D structure and promote soft tissue regeneration upon subcutaneous injection.