Bioresorbable shape-adaptive structures for ultrasonic monitoring of deep-tissue homeostasis. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38452063/)

These scientists created a special material that can help doctors check if everything is working properly inside a person's body. Usually, doctors need to use expensive machines or do surgeries to see what's happening deep inside the body. But with this new material, they can use a simple ultrasound machine that they already have in their offices.

The material is made up of tiny metal disks that can dissolve in the body over time. These disks are placed inside a soft gel that can change its shape based on the body's pH levels. The doctors can put this material into a patient's body either by surgery or by injecting it with a syringe.

By using the ultrasound machine, the doctors can see how the pH levels change over time in different parts of the body. This helps them quickly find any problems, like leaks, after surgeries on the stomach or intestines. The best part is that once the body has healed, the material dissolves on its own, so there's no need for another surgery to remove it.

The scientists tested this material on animals and found that it worked well in detecting leaks in the small intestine, stomach, and pancreas. This new material could help doctors take better care of patients and make sure they heal properly after surgery.

Liu J., Liu N., Xu Y., Wu M., Zhang H., Wang Y., Yan Y., Hill A., Song R., Xu Z., Park M., Wu Y., Ciatti JL., Gu J., Luan H., Zhang Y., Yang T., Ahn HY., Li S., Ray WZ., Franz CK., MacEwan MR., Huang Y., Hammill CW., Wang H., Rogers JA. Bioresorbable shape-adaptive structures for ultrasonic monitoring of deep-tissue homeostasis. Science. 2024 Mar 8;383(6687):1096-1103. doi: 10.1126/science.adk9880. Epub 2024 Mar 7.