Wireless and bioresorbable triboelectric nerve block system for postoperative pain control

Amidst the chronic issue of opioid misuse, finding an alternative to pharmaceutical pain control following surgical interventions stands as a major hurdle. Conventional non-pharmacological pain control technologies often rely on rigid stimulators linking internal and external body components, thereby imposing nerve burden and additional interventions for the removal. Here we introduce a bioresorbable triboelectric nerve cuff activated via ultrasounds for pain control. The targeted nerves are enveloped around polymers with opposite triboelectric properties that vibrate upon ultrasound stimulation, generating an alternating triboelectric field parallel to the nerve for pain modulation. In vivo testing in rat and porcine models demonstrates that the fully implanted neurostimulator exerts no discernible impact on gait and yields immediate pain relief. Application of the implant until full resorbing caused no adverse effects in the nerve or surrounding muscle tissue, and behavioural analysis confirmed its effective pain control. The implantable pain control system might offer a drug-free alternative to pain management strategies, helping prevent drug abuse.