Origami-Inspired Medical Patch for Minimally Invasive Surgery
Many surgeries are performed via minimally invasive procedures, in which a small incision is made and miniature cameras and surgical tools are threaded through the body. Surgeons can face challenges at an important step in the process: the sealing of internal wounds and tears. Engineers at MIT introduce a medical patch that can be folded around minimally invasive surgical tools and delivered through airways, intestines, and other narrow spaces, to patch up internal injuries. The patch looks like a foldable, paper-like film when dry. When it makes contact with wet tissues or organs, it transforms into a stretchy gel and and can stick to an injured site. Over time, the patch can safely biodegrade away in the body.