Robots successfully help pigs repair damaged esophageal medical technology
Robotics researchers often choose pigs to test implants that may reduce surgical trauma
In today's ever-changing world of technology, there is a case of scientific research that sounds sci-fi. No, a paper published in the journal Science RoboTIcs belongs to this category: cell regeneration robots that work successfully in living things.
However, everyone should not fall into the imagination of "flocks of nano-robots flowing in the blood", because that is the real science fiction. The results of this research are not as cool as in the movie, but in terms of scientific achievements, it is very amazing.
The study was successfully conducted by a team of multinational researchers led by Dana Damian of Boston Children's Hospital. In the paper, the researchers said they created a robotic implant that can "make the computer-controlled traction to promote the growth of tubular organs such as the esophagus and intestines."
In surgery, it is extremely difficult to repair the tubular structure in the body. Since most organisms contain a large number of tubular structures, this has always been a major research direction in the medical field.
Existing methods, such as organ transplants, are expensive and risky. Surgical procedures such as long-distance esophageal atresia require patients to be anesthetized for several weeks because each esophagus needs to be gently stretched and joined.
In contrast, the pigs used to experiment with the Damian team's robotic implants are not only alive, they are even awake when the implants are implanted into their esophagus.
Why is this robotic implant so amazing? The answer may surprise you. The principles used are not complicated. They were discovered as early as 1930 and are often used to culture bacterial populations. It is mechanical stimulation (mechanosTImulaTIon), which stimulates cells by mechanical movement, increasing the speed of cell growth and wound recovery.
However, the equipment required to generate mechanical stimulation has not been suitable for implantation into the human body for volume reasons. Thanks to the development of microelectronics in recent years, we have finally been able to produce small enough mechanical devices to spur the cells inside the body.
Compared with the existing means, the advantage of this technology is not only the time, but the avoidance of many serious problems through the organization of the living body. Because existing methods require segmental expansion of tissue within hours or days, there is a risk of fibrosis and poor neural connections.
During the procedure described in the paper, a robotic implant approximately 10 cm long was externally attached to the esophagus by a physician and secured to the tubular portion of the esophagus by two O-rings. The exterior of the implant, which contains the motor, sensor and various electronic components, is wrapped in a biocompatible, waterproof skin that is connected to the external control unit via a data cable. The area between the two O-rings is mechanically stimulated to speed up cell growth.
The results of the researchers' experiments were very successful. Within 9 days, the length of the esophagus between the two O-rings in the experimental pigs was extended by 77%. This result is not derived from stretching, but is achieved by stimulating the growth of cells. During this process, the blood flow and functionality of the esophagus are completely maintained.
The researchers speculate that if the device is further upgraded to allow it to recognize the contraction and relaxation of the esophageal muscles while eating, it can even allow patients to eat during the repair process.
Is it a pity to see this? There is no such thing as a nanomachine bee colony that can repair various injuries in science fiction. But this robot with elongated tubular organs may be closer to those robots than we think.
Because the researchers pointed out: "In addition to their use in organ growth, robotic implants represent a new direction of research for medical robots. These biomimetic systems can help provide normal body function, whether it is temporary before body repair, Still permanent."
"The miniaturization of sensors and actuators, coupled with the development of technologies such as wireless communications, energy transmission, and energy harvesting, is likely to allow us to create devices that go beyond science fiction."
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