Scientists develop dissolvable implant that can relieve pain without drugsBy David Spector
July 13, 2022
A team of researchers led by Northwestern University has developed a dissolvable implant that rapidly relieves pain without the use of drugs, according to a study published in Science.
The biocompatible implant is controlled by an external pump that allows the patient to activate it at the onset of pain and control its intensity. The implant would not require surgery to remove since it is water-soluble and will simply dissolve.
“The technology reported here exploits mechanisms that have some similarities to those that cause your fingers to feel numb when cold. Our implant allows that effect to be produced in a programmable way, directly and locally to targeted nerves, even those deep within surrounding soft tissues,” Rogers said.
The implant is 5 millimeters long at its widest point. It works by softly wrapping around a single nerve, while another end is attached to the control pump outside of the skin. The implant evaporates a liquid coolant in the targeted area, which numbs the nerve and blocks pain signals to the brain.
Evaporation is achieved via tiny microfluidic channels contained in the implant, one channel contains the coolant perfluoropentane — a clinically approved ultrasound contrast agent which is also used for pressurized inhalers, and another channel contains dry nitrogen, an inert gas. When the coolant and gas flow into the same chamber evaporation instantly occurs, and an integrated sensor monitors the nerve to make sure its temperature does not drop to a level that could cause tissue damage.
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Source:
https://nypost.com/2022/07/13/scientists-develop-implant-that-reduces-pain-without-drugs/
