A century ago not a soul would have imagined the advances in medical science we have achieved. Taking the evolution of medical surgeries a step further MIT engineers have crafted an origami-inspired medical patch that can be applied to internal organs with the utmost ease. Pretty useful in application to internal injuries or sensitive parts of the internal organs – airways, intestines, or hard to reach spaces. Looking at nothing more than a foldable piece of paper, the patch comes in contact with the tissues and organs. Thereafter it morphs into a thick gel that stays firmly on the injured area until it heals. The patch is made from three layers – the top layer is elastomer film consisting of zwitterionic polymers that become a water-based skin-like barrier. The middle layer is the bio-adhesive hydrogel having the compound NHS esters to form a strong bond with the tissue surface. The bottom layer is made up of silicone oil to prevent it from sticking to the body surface before reaching the intended target.
As compared to the adhesive tapes currently used, the MIT’s solution does not contaminate and also resists the growth of bacteria and body fluids. The newly developed patch will come in very handy in case of invasive procedures where small cameras and surgical tools are inserted inside the body. To bind the internal wounds and tears, this medical patch will be a god sent aid for the surgeons as well as the recovering patient. Currently, the team at MIT is working with doctors and surgeons to fine-tune the design of the patch so that it can be easily applied via invasive surgical tools – either by the surgeon or using medical robots. According to Xuanhe Zhao, professor of mechanical engineering and of civil and environmental engineering at MIT, “Minimally invasive surgery and robotic surgery are being increasingly adopted, as they decrease trauma and hasten recovery related to open surgery. However, the sealing of internal wounds is challenging in these surgeries.”
Adding to this co-author Christoph Nabzdyk, a cardiac anesthesiologist and critical care physician at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota said that this new development could be really useful for repairing a perforation from a colposcopy or to tend the solid organs and blood vessels after surgery. This will eliminate the need to perform open surgery and the patch can be delivered to seal the wound and once the injury heals it biodegrades on its own leaving behind no residue. Clearly, the medical patch will change the medical surgeries in a big way and also speed up the healing process which is great for the patients.
Designer: MIT
