Scientists Create Biodegradable Patch That Converts Body Motion into Electricity.
Numerous studies have shown that electrical stimulation helps wounds heal faster, including fractures. A research team led by Professor Xudong Wang at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has developed a biodegradable electrical patch for bones, as reported by New Atlas on July 6. The new study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The electrical stimulation device for fractures (FED) is biodegradable in the body. (Photo: University of Wisconsin-Madison).
Typically, to electrically stimulate a fracture, electrodes need to be surgically implanted at the injury site. These electrodes draw energy from an external source. Once the bone heals, another surgery is required to remove them.
Wang and his colleagues sought a simpler, less invasive alternative. They developed a self-powered electrical patch that can be placed at the fracture site via surgery but will biodegrade in the body after completing its task. This patch is called the Fracture Electrical Stimulation Device (FED).
The base of the FED is made from a biocompatible polymer certified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), while the top features a thin-film nanogenerator connected to two electrodes. This nanogenerator converts mechanical energy generated from body movement into electricity, similar to how rubbing your foot in a sock against a carpet creates static electricity. The electrodes then deliver the electrical current to the bone.
In laboratory tests, the FED helped rats with tibial fractures recover within 6 weeks, significantly faster than the untreated group. However, the rats remained relatively active during this period, allowing the nanogenerator to continuously produce about 4 volts of electricity. In contrast, patients are typically advised not to move the fractured limbs.
“We may need to adjust this device to respond to other types of internal energy sources, such as changes in blood pressure. Transitioning the device from animal applications to human use will be very exciting and impactful,” Wang stated.
