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Delivering Microrobots in the Musculoskeletal System.
Mumin Cao1,2,3, Renwang Sheng1,2,3, Yimin Sun4
1Department of Orthopaedics, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
Nano-Micro Letters
|July 22, 2024
Summary
Microrobots offer intelligent, precise, and minimally invasive targeted delivery for musculoskeletal disorders. This review explores their applications, challenges, and future directions for improved patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Regenerative Medicine
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Musculoskeletal disorders represent a significant global health burden with limited treatment efficacy.
- Current treatments often fail to address chronic pain and may necessitate surgery.
- Early detection and intervention of regional lesions are crucial for future therapeutic strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the frontier applications of microrobotic systems in the musculoskeletal system.
- To evaluate the characteristics of different microrobots for clinical translation.
- To identify future directions for microrobots in musculoskeletal treatments.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on microrobotic systems in musculoskeletal applications.
- Analysis of microrobot characteristics, including biosafety, control, and imaging.
- Evaluation of challenges and barriers to clinical translation.
Main Results:
- Microrobots enable intelligent, precise, and minimally invasive targeted delivery of therapeutics.
- Applications include stem cell/drug transport and hazardous substance removal in musculoskeletal tissues.
- Active motion of microrobots enhances the efficiency and penetration of local targeting compared to traditional methods.
Conclusions:
- Microrobotic systems show significant potential for treating musculoskeletal disorders.
- Overcoming challenges in clinical translation is essential for widespread adoption.
- Further research and development will drive the future of microrobots in musculoskeletal medicine.
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