Tag: surgery

Plant-Based Soft Medical Robots

Researchers at the University of Waterloo in Canada have developed plant-based microrobots that are intended to pave the way for medical robots that can enter the body and perform tasks, such as obtaining a biopsy or performing a surgical procedure. The robots consist of a hydrogel material that is biocompatible and the composite contains cellulose (Read more...)

Magnetic Dressing Improves Diabetic Wound Healing

Researchers at the National University of Singapore have developed a magneto-responsive hydrogel wound dressing that also contains two different regenerative cell types. The hydrogel is also embedded with magnetic particles that can be stimulated using an external magnetic field. The action of the magnetic field on the gel-encapsulated particles ca (Read more...)

Sensor Monitors Transplanted Organs for Signs of Rejection

Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a sensor that can monitor transplanted organs for signs of rejection. Patients who receive transplants require immunosuppressive medication to ensure that their body does not reject the transplanted tissue, but this can still happen, sometimes years after the initial transplant. Current methods (Read more...)

Refillable Device for Drug Delivery Past the Blood-Brain Barrier: Interview with Mike Maglin, CEO at CraniUS

CraniUS, a medtech company based in Baltimore, has developed the NeuroPASS drug delivery system. The technology is designed to deliver drugs to the brain, and it can bypass the blood-brain barrier. This layer of specialized endothelium significantly restricts which drug molecules can enter the brain, normally greatly limiting treatment options for (Read more...)

Refillable Device for Drug Delivery Past the Blood-Brain Barrier: Interview with Mike Maglin, CEO at CraniUS

CraniUS, a medtech company based in Baltimore, has developed the NeuroPASS drug delivery system. The technology is designed to deliver drugs to the brain, and it can bypass the blood-brain barrier. This layer of specialized endothelium significantly restricts which drug molecules can enter the brain, normally greatly limiting treatment options for (Read more...)

Implantable Bioreactor for Kidney Cells

Researchers at the University of California San Francisco have developed an implantable bioreactor that may pave the way for artificial kidneys. Dialysis and kidney transplants both have significant disadvantages for patients with kidney failure, and so scientists are trying to develop a lab created kidney that would not require harsh immunosuppres (Read more...)

Magnetic Tentacle Robots for Minimally Invasive Procedures

Researchers at the University of Leeds in the UK have developed a magnetic tentacle robot that is intended for use in minimally invasive medical procedures, such as the treatment of tumors in the lungs. The soft tentacles are made from silicone. They are unlikely to cause tissue damage, and contain a series of magnets that […]

Artificial Muscle Changes Stiffness with Voltage

Scientists at Queen Mary University of London have developed an artificial muscle that can change from soft to hard in response to a voltage change. The technology aims to mimic human muscles in both its movements and in its ability to sense forces and deformation. The muscle is made using carbon nanotubes that have been […]

Implantable Sponge for Hemorrhage Monitoring and Control

Researchers at the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation in California have developed an implantable sponge that can monitor for signs of a hemorrhage, and then help to control bleeding once it has occurred. The researchers used silk fibroin, a protein produced by the Bombyx mori silkworm, to create the sponge, and took advantage of its […]

Photonic Radar Monitors Breathing from a Distance

Engineers at the University of Sydney have developed a photonic radar that allows them to monitor breathing rates without the need to attach equipment to a patient’s skin. Wired or more invasive systems may not be suitable for everyone – for instance, burn patients with damaged skin or infants with a tiny body surface area […]

Wound Sensor Patch Indicates Healing Status

Researchers at the National University of Singapore have created a wound sensor patch that measures various wound biomarkers that can indicate would healing. Chronic wounds are an ongoing problem for many patients, and developing new ways to monitor and treat these painful lesions would be very useful. This battery-free wound patch contains five co (Read more...)

Surgical Patch Alerts to Intestinal Leaks

Scientists at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA) have developed an advanced surgical sealant that can alert clinicians to the presence of an intestinal leak after gastrointestinal surgery. Such leaks can be very dangerous, but until now clinicians had few ways to detect them before they start causing symptoms (Read more...)

Smart Bandage Monitors and Treats Chronic Wounds

Researchers at the California Institute of Technology have developed a smart bandage for chronic wounds, such as those sometimes experienced by patients with diabetes. The bandage is flexible and stretchy, but contains electronic components that can monitor the wound for signs of infection, including abnormal temperature, increased uric acid levels (Read more...)

Nanoparticles Get Lymphatic Vessels Pumping

Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a nanotechnological solution for lymphedema, a failure of the lymphatic system that results in uncomfortable and irreversible fluid retention. Previous research efforts have focused on trying to grow new lymphatic vessels, but these researchers have taken a different approach, and in (Read more...)

Biomimetic Construct Models Burn Injuries

Researchers at Harvard University have developed a model of burn injuries that will allow them to investigate the mechanisms underlying healing in such injuries and test out new approaches to enhance this process. Burns can take a long time to heal and can be prone to infection and complicated by the presence of large quantities […]