Soft, Long-Lived, Bioresorbable Electronic Surgical Mesh with Wireless Pressure Monitor and On-Demand Drug Delivery

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Surgical Technology
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Current surgical meshes have limitations in addressing postoperative complications.
• Multifunctional meshes offer a promising approach to overcome these challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a bioresorbable electronic surgical mesh with integrated functionalities.
• To assess its efficacy in tissue restoration and complication reduction.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a bioresorbable electronic mesh with a dissolvable dielectric composite and pyramidal porous structure.
• Integration of wireless capacitive pressure sensors and resistive microheaters for drug delivery.
• In vivo evaluation in abdominal hernia defect models.

Main Results:

• The mesh demonstrated high mechanical strength and tunable properties.
• Reliable wireless pressure monitoring and on-demand thermo-responsive drug delivery were achieved.
• Effective treatment of abdominal hernia defects with suppressed adhesion formation and infections was observed.

Conclusions:

• The developed bioresorbable electronic surgical mesh offers advanced functionalities for improved surgical outcomes.
• This technology holds potential for addressing long-standing challenges in hernia repair and other surgical applications.