Enhancing thrombolysis efficiency using acoustic vortex tweezers and microbubbles: a microscale mechanistic study...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Acoustic Manipulation
• Thrombolysis Research

Background:

• Acoustic vortex tweezers (AVT) with microbubbles (MBs) and tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) show potential for enhanced thrombolysis.
• Lack of standardized protocols hinders objective investigation of AVT's thrombolytic mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• Establish a standardized protocol to evaluate AVT, t-PA, and MBs in thrombolysis.
• Compare AVT-enhanced thrombolysis with conventional sonothrombolysis.
• Elucidate the mechanisms behind AVT's thrombolytic effects.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a miniature ultrasound transducer to generate AVT fields on fluorescent fibrin clots.
• Employed high-speed camera and confocal microscopy to observe MB penetration and fibrin structure.
• Quantified drug permeability, thrombolytic efficiency, and fragment characteristics.

Main Results:

• AVT with MBs created deeper and wider MB channels, increasing fibrin looseness by 32.6%.
• Enhanced t-PA penetration and fibrin clot dissolution were observed.
• The AVT + t-PA + MBs group showed a 43.6% larger dissolution area compared to t-PA alone within 30 min, with no excessive fragments.

Conclusions:

• AVT effectively promotes fibrin disruption and enhances drug penetration in thrombolysis.
• The combination of AVT, t-PA, and MBs offers a promising, safe, and efficient thrombolytic strategy.
• Further validation in ex vivo and animal models is warranted for clinical translation.