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Transdermal wires for improved integration in vivo
Andreas P Kourouklis1, Julius Kaemmel2, Xi Wu1
1Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, Institute for Mechanical Systems, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
Biomaterials Advances
|August 17, 2023
Summary
Reducing the diameter of transdermal implants significantly improves their integration with skin, minimizing inflammation and adverse tissue reactions. This finding is crucial for developing safer medical devices.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Tissue Engineering
Background:
- Percutaneous VAD drivelines aim to prevent infection but often overlook implant-skin interactions.
- Optimizing transdermal implant design is critical for minimizing adverse biological tissue effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the biophysical modification of transdermal implants.
- To evaluate the impact of implant diameter, surface topography, and chemistry on tissue reactions.
- To compare novel implants with standard VAD drivelines in chronic sheep models.
Main Methods:
- Developed a novel method for transferring topographical features onto thin wires.
- Utilized chronic sheep implantation for comparative evaluation.
- Assessed macroscopic, histological, and physical markers of inflammation, fibrosis, and adhesion.
Main Results:
- All implants performed infection-free.
- Increasing implant diameter enhanced fibrotic response, independent of surface properties.
- Small diameter implants showed reduced inflammation, improved adhesion, and restricted epidermal downgrowth.
- Larger diameter VAD drivelines induced severe inflammation and epidermal downgrowth.
Conclusions:
- Implant diameter is a critical factor for benign transdermal integration with skin.
- Size reduction promotes milder inflammatory responses and better mechanical adhesion.
- Biophysical properties of implants can be engineered for improved medical device performance.
