Ferromagnetic implantation in human tissues
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Dundee
Department Name: Surgery and Oncology
Abstract
Surgeons are constantly looking for ways of imaging, holding, cutting and repairing diseased tissue, and for ways of doing this while minimising injury to the patient. Minimal Access or 'keyhole' techniques are often helpful, but the surgeon is limited in what he can see and feel, and in the range of instruments he can pass through the 'keyhole'. Giving the tissue magnetic properties is an intriguing possibility for enhancing what the surgeon could do: imaging disease preoperatively, finding disease during an operation, holding delicate tissue while working around it and checking the spread of disease through the lymph system would all be easier if the tissue was magnetic. Furthermore, if the surgeon wishes to use robots to assist in the surgical procedure it is easier to create small electromagnetic robotic components than their mechanical counterparts.This project aims to find ways of creating magnetic tissue and then measure the strength of magnetisation achievable. Three particular ways of creating magnetic tissue are envisaged. The first of these is to create surface treatments which can be applied to the tissue by mixing a magnetic material with an existing surgical glue. The second proposed method is to inject biologically safe magnetic material directly into the tissue. The final method is to use ultrasound or electric fields to force minute magnetic particles into the tissue's cells. The permeability of tissues treated in these ways can then be measured easily.This experience and data will establish how feasible it is create magnetic tissue before, or during, an operation and subsequently how feasible it is to create a range of medical technologies which utilise the magnetic properties of the tissues.
Organisations
Publications
Wang L
(2009)
Rapid and efficient cell labeling with a MRI contrast agent by electroporation in the presence of protamine sulfate.
in Nanomedicine (London, England)
Wang Z
(2007)
Retraction by surface ferromagnetisation of target tissues: Preliminary studies on feasibility of magnetic retraction for endoscopic surgery
in Surgical Endoscopy
Wang Z
(2009)
Ferromagnetization of target tissues by interstitial injection of ferrofluid: formulation and evidence of efficacy for magnetic retraction.
in IEEE transactions on bio-medical engineering
Z Wang
(2007)
Subsurface tissue magnetisation for mucosal dissection
Z Wang
(2007)
Magnetic retraction for mucosal dissection
Z Wang
(2007)
Surgical applications of tissue magnetisation
Description | The research confirmed that it is possible to ferro magnetize tissues at specific localized sites such that the tissues (bowel, solid organs) become responsive to magnetic probes (permanent or electromagnetic) which are use to retract and old them at the specific sites for surgical/ endoscopic manipulation or resection. The main advantage is that the tissue is held without any injury (inevitable with conventional grasping). The technology developed by the project achieves this by two approaches: (i) interstitial injection of ferro-fluid of special formulation, and (ii) ferromagnetic glue which when applied to the surface of the tissue/ organ forms an adherent film, subsequent to polymerization which is responsive to a magneticprobe. |
Exploitation Route | Healthcare and Medical Biotechnology IP and patents (n =3) assigned to Storz UK by the University of Dundee on an agreed Royalty basis |
Sectors | Healthcare,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
Description | Yes. The findings have been presented at three important international conferences (SAGES, EAES and SMIT) for endoscopic and minimal invasive surgeries and biomedical engineering and medical physics. The findings have been published in 3 peer-review journals and 3 conference proceedings. This findings have been used as pilot data for our subsequently EPSRC successful grant application (EP/H010033/1). |
Sector | Healthcare,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
Impact Types | Societal |
Description | Biomagnetic retraction for endoscopic surgery |
Amount | £1,223,626 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/H010033/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2009 |
End | 10/2013 |