Author: Robby Berman / Source: Big Think
- The application of electrical current can temporarily soften cartilage, allowing it to be manipulated before re-hardening.
- The technique promises to eliminate cutting, scarring, pain, and recovery time.
- So far it’s been tested on just one bunny who now has one straight ear and one bent one.
At the American Chemical Society (ACS) Spring 2019 National Meeting & Exposition this month, researchers presented a new, potentially breakthrough technique for performing incision-less surgery at a molecular level. It promises to revolutionize the reshaping of cartilage in noses, ears, and perhaps joints immobilized by stroke or cerebral palsy. It may also provide an alternative to laser eye surgery. Its creators have so far been able to confirm its ability to reshape living tissue with no incision, no scarring, no pain, and without the need for recovery time. The surgery is performed using tiny needles, electric current, and 3D molds.
The promise
One of the research’s lead investigators, Michael Hill, says in a press release, “We envision this new technique as a low-cost office procedure done under local anesthesia. The whole process would take about five minutes.”
While currently in the process of arranging licensing for their procedure, the researchers are already looking toward using it with other collagen tissue such as tendons, and even corneas for the correction of vision issues. In animal tests, they’ve already had some success with reshaping a cornea using a 3D-printed contact lens painted with electrodes and to which they applied electrical current to soften the cornea. This is…
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