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Modelling and simulation analysis of porous polymeric scaffold for the replacement of Bruch's membrane as a therapy for age-related macular degeneration

Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common disease that is prevalent among people of age 50. It is characterised by the loss of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells from the macula of eye due to the deposition of drusen in the Bruch's membrane that supports the RPE cells. Treatment for AMD is to replace Bruch's membrane with scaffolds that provide conducive environment for the RPE cells to adhere and proliferate. In this study, a scaffold made of porous poly (caprolactone) (PCL) was designed using the tool COMSOL Multiphysics and its properties like structural integrity and the fluid flow were analysed using Brinkman's equation. The model has a square geometry with a dimension of 100 × 100 × 4 μm through which blood was allowed to flow from bottom to top across the geometry. The analysis was carried out for scaffolds with different porosity. The results show that the scaffold with higher porosity has a lower pressure gradient which is necessary for RPE cell adherence and is mechanically stable. This proves that a PCL scaffold with higher porosity is a potential replacement for Bruch's membrane.