The Moor has done his job…
Researchers at Northwestern University and the University of Washington have developed a first-of-its-kind prototype of an implantable biodegradable electronic medical device. In experiments, it sent electrical impulses to the damaged peripheral nerves of rats after reconstructive surgery. This accelerated the process of nerve regeneration and improved the final result of restoring muscle strength and muscle control. The size of a wireless device that can function in the body for up to two weeks, and subsequently decomposes and is absorbed by the body, is comparable to the size of a dime, and its thickness is the thickness of a sheet of paper.
Experts suggest that biodegradable electronic medical devices will eventually improve the effectiveness of pharmaceutical treatments or even replace them. According to one of the leaders of the work, Professor John A. Rogers from Northwestern University, such systems provide an active therapeutic function in a programmable dosed format, after which they decompose and disappear without a trace. At the same time, the impact is targeted, that is, exclusively in the place of the body where it is necessary, which reduces the likelihood of undesirable side effects and other risks associated with the use of traditional permanent implants.
Over the past 8 years, Professor Rogers and his colleagues have developed a whole range of electronic materials, designs and technologies for the production of biodegradable devices with a wide range of capabilities potentially capable of solving a number of problems of modern medicine.
In their latest work, they joined forces with a group of associate Professor Wilson "Zack" Ray (Wilson "Zack" Ray) from the University of Washington, who were concerned about the possibility of prolonging electrical stimulation that accelerates the healing process, in particular, the restoration of damaged nerves. Until now, this method has been used only during surgery, which limited its therapeutic potential.
The result of the work was a thin flexible device wrapped around the damaged nerve and generating electrical impulses at specified times for several days, after which it decomposes without harm to the body. The device is powered and controlled remotely by an external transmitting device, and its complete degradation eliminates the need for repeated surgical intervention, thereby reducing the risks to the patient's health.
Surgeons from the University of Washington tested it on rats with sciatic nerve injuries. This nerve transmits nerve impulses along the leg and controls the functioning of the hamstrings, as well as the shins and feet. As part of the experiment, the device provided electrical stimulation for one hour a day for one, three or six days, or did not provide stimulation at all (in the control group). The effectiveness of the damage repair process was evaluated over the next 10 weeks.
Observations have shown that in each of the variants, electrical stimulation had a positive effect, contributing to the restoration of muscle mass and strength. Moreover, the more electrical stimulation sessions the animals received, the faster and more thoroughly the functions of nerves and muscle tissue were restored. In addition, no undesirable biological effects were detected from the presence of the device in the body and its subsequent decomposition and absorption.
Changing the composition and thickness of the materials from which the device is made allowed the authors to adjust the exact number of days during which it retains its functionality. The new versions allow for electrical stimulation for several weeks before the degradation of the device.
The results of the work carried out by the authors indicate that biodegradable devices can be used as temporary heart rate drivers, an interface for influencing the spinal cord, as well as other organs responding to electrical stimulation.
Article by Jahyun Koo et al. Wireless bioresorbable electronic system enables sustained nonpharmacological neuroregenerative therapy published in the journal Nature Medicine.
Evgenia Ryabtseva, portal "Eternal Youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of Northwestern University: Researchers demonstrate the first example of a bioresorbable electronic medicine.