Elegans-Inspired Magnetic Polyurethane Soft Robot (MPSR) for Closed Visceral Secondary Hemostasis In Situ

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Robotics

Background:

• Secondary hemorrhage is a significant challenge in trauma care, especially during casualty transport in austere environments.
• Reoperative surgery for hemorrhage carries substantial risks and exacerbates trauma.
• There is a critical need for innovative, minimally invasive hemostatic solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer a novel magnetic polyurethane soft robot (MPSR) for effective management of secondary hemorrhage.
• To demonstrate the MPSR's capability for both initial and secondary hemostasis in closed visceral injuries.
• To evaluate the MPSR's unique properties for non-surgical bleeding control.

Main Methods:

• Development of a magnetic polyurethane soft robot (MPSR) with switchable dormant and active states.
• Utilized contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS)-guided percutaneous puncture for initial MPSR delivery and hemostasis.
• Employed magnetothermal effect to control MPSR state transitions for addressing secondary hemorrhage.

Main Results:

• The MPSR demonstrated excellent timely and secondary hemostatic efficacy for closed visceral injuries.
• MPSR exhibited superior injectability and deformability due to its switchable states.
• Non-contact manipulation of MPSR in its active state allowed for in situ deformation, movement, and re-filling of bleeding sites.

Conclusions:

• The MPSR offers a promising approach for the non-surgical management of secondary hemorrhage.
• The robot's ability to transition between states enables effective, minimally invasive hemostasis.
• MPSR shows significant potential for future clinical applications in trauma management.