First bioelectronic medicine revealed
The biodegradable implant uses electrical stimulation to speed up nerve recovery
Researchers at Northwestern University and Washington University School of Medicine have created a biodegradable implant that pulses with electricity to assist in healing damaged peripheral nerves in rats. The completely wireless device – as thin as a sheet of paper – has demonstrated promising results at improving the recovery of muscle strength and control. The implant is thin and flexible and can wrap around an injured nerve. It then delivers electrical pulses at specific times over the next few days. After about two weeks the implant is naturally absorbed by the body. The invention is the first in a movement towards bioengineered medical technologies for humans. These are expected to provide therapy and treatment over a period of time directly at the site where it is needed in order to be effective and reduce the risks and side-effects patients face when having a permanent implant. “These engineered systems provide active, therapeutic function in a programmable, dosed format and then naturally disappear into the body, without a trace,” explained Northwestern University's John A Rogers, co-senior author of the study, in a press release. “This approach to therapy allows one to think about options that go beyond drugs and chemistry.” The technology has not yet been tested in humans, but the researchers are hopeful that it may offer a new option for nerve injury patients in the future. Electrical stimulation is already used during surgery and is known to aid recovery, but until now there has never been a way to supply the currents while healing is still in progress. This technology could revolutionise post-surgery recoveries. “We know that electrical stimulation during surgery helps, but once the surgery is over the window for intervening is closed,” commented co-senior author Dr Wilson Ray. “With this device we’ve shown that electrical stimulation given on a scheduled basis can further enhance nerve recovery.”