An innovative ‘sticker’ could revolutionise post-operative care for patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery.
The technology, known as BioSUM (Bioresorbable, Shape-adaptive, Ultrasound-readable Materials), promises early detection of potentially fatal leaks in deep tissues following surgery, providing a lifeline for at-risk patients.
The BioSUM is a thin, flexible sticker comprising metal discs embedded in a pH-responsive hydrogel base.
Surgically applied near the incision site, the device remains inert under normal conditions.
However, if leaks occur, the hydrogel reacts to the change in acidity, causing it to swell and push the metal discs apart.
This distinct change in spacing can be visualised using ultrasound imaging, allowing for swift intervention before serious complications arise.
The device is the work of a team led by Northwestern University Professor John A Rogers and postdoctoral fellow Jiaqi Liu.
Dr Chet Hammill from Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, who initiated the study, emphasised the importance of detecting such leaks early.
He suggested there is a 30% chance of a patient spending the next six months in hospital if such leaks aren’t caught soon enough. Additionally, there is a 20% chance they will die.
Conventional ultrasound scans often fail to accurately identify these leaks due to their inability to differentiate between bodily fluids.
The BioSUM addresses this challenge head-on, offering a reliable solution for real-time monitoring.
In rigorous testing conducted by Dr Hammill’s team, the BioSUM demonstrated rapid response times to pH changes and remained detectable even when implanted deep within test subjects’ bodies, including pigs with gastrointestinal tracts akin to humans.
Notably, the device dissolves harmlessly after approximately one month, eliminating the need for removal procedures.
The versatility of the BioSUM extends beyond leak detection, with potential applications in detecting other post-surgical complications such as internal bleeding or infections.
This innovative technology has the potential to transform the post-operative monitoring landscape by providing early warning signs, offering hope for improved patient outcomes and reduced healthcare burdens.
Published in the Science journal, the research represents a significant advancement in surgical care.
Dr Hammill highlights that even a 24 48-hour head start in detecting complications could significantly mitigate risks and improve patient prognosis.
He explained: ‘The majority of operations in the abdomen – when you have to remove something and sew it back together – carry a risk of leaking. We can’t entirely prevent those complications but may catch them earlier to minimise harm. Even if we could detect a leak 24 or 48 hours earlier, we could catch complications before the patient becomes sick. This new technology can potentially change how we monitor patients after surgery completely.’
With further developments to enhance its capabilities, the BioSUM heralds a new era in personalised and precise healthcare monitoring.
The transformative impact of the BioSUM underscores the growing momentum towards innovative monitoring technologies that cater to evolving healthcare needs.
