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Plasmonic Nanocomposite Implants for Interstitial Thermotherapy: Experimental and Computational Analysis
Yvonne Kafui Konku-Asase1, Kwabena Kan-Dapaah1
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 77 Legon Accra, Ghana.
Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|February 13, 2021
Summary
New photoseeds combining gold nanoparticles and PDMS offer a promising alternative for interstitial thermotherapy. These nanocomposite implants demonstrate tunable photothermal properties for effective cancer treatment with potential for improved efficacy over traditional thermoseeds.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Ferromagnetic thermoseeds are used for interstitial thermotherapy but face limitations due to material properties and high required dosages.
- Improving the efficacy of thermotherapy requires novel implantable materials with enhanced thermal properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate plasmonic nanocomposite implants (photoseeds) composed of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) and poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as a potential alternative for interstitial thermotherapy.
- To evaluate the structural, optical, and photothermal properties of Au-PDMS photoseeds.
- To develop a computational model for predicting *in-vivo* thermal damage profiles.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication and characterization of Au NPs and Au-PDMS nanocomposites.
- Assessment of photothermal heat generation in aqueous solution and *in-vitro* cancer cell suspensions.
- Development of a 3D finite element method (FEM) model to predict *in-vivo* thermal damage in breast tissue.
Main Results:
- Optical absorbance of photoseeds increased with Au NP concentration.
- Photothermal measurements confirmed effective heat generation tunable by laser parameters and duration.
- FEM model predicted successful thermal damage profiles *in-vivo*.
Conclusions:
- Au-PDMS photoseeds exhibit tunable photothermal properties suitable for interstitial thermotherapy.
- The developed photoseeds offer a feasible and potentially more effective alternative to conventional thermoseeds.
- This study demonstrates the potential of nanocomposite materials for advanced therapeutic applications.
