Empa Researchers Develop Nanoparticle Soldering for Minimally Invasive Surgery

Soldering wounds with a nanoparticle paste and light: Oscar Cipolato and Inge Herrmann in Empa’s Particles-Biology In-teractions laboratory in St. Gallen. Image: Empa

(IN BRIEF) Empa researchers have developed an innovative technique using nanoparticles for soldering wounds, potentially revolutionizing wound closure methods. This groundbreaking approach offers precise temperature control and can be applied in minimally invasive surgery. The nanoparticles enable gentle laser soldering, resulting in rapid, stable, and biocompatible wound closures on various organs. The researchers have also explored using gentler infrared (IR) light for this method, making it more practical for hospitals. This advancement promises safer and more efficient wound closure alternatives compared to traditional sutures.

(PRESS RELEASE) DÜBENDORF, 16-Jan-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — Wound closure has seen little evolution since the inception of sutures over 5,000 years ago. Empa, the Swiss research institute for applied materials sciences and technology, have, however, pioneered a groundbreaking soldering technique using nanoparticles that promises to transform the field of wound healing. This novel approach is anticipated to mitigate wound healing complications and prevent life-threatening issues resulting from sutures that fail to hold. The team’s remarkable discovery has been documented in a recent publication in the journal Small Methods, and a patent application has been submitted.

In ancient times, humans relied on a simple method of suturing wounds with needle and thread, a practice that remains largely unchanged today. However, this technique is not without its drawbacks. Depending on the surgeon’s skill and the type of tissue involved, sutures can sometimes cause further damage or fail to adequately seal wounds. In cases where sutures do not securely close internal organs, they can pose a severe risk to a patient’s life. Empa researchers, in collaboration with ETH Zurich, have devised a revolutionary solution: soldering wounds using laser technology.

Precise Temperature Control in Real Time

Conventional soldering typically involves heating materials to create a bond. Applying this method to biological tissues, however, presents challenges. The difficulty in monitoring temperature non-invasively has been a major hurdle in the medical application of soldering processes. Oscar Cipolato and Inge Herrmann, leading a team at Empa’s Particles Biology Interactions laboratory in St. Gallen and the Nanoparticle Systems Engineering Laboratory at ETH Zurich, have ingeniously crafted a smart wound closure system capable of precise and gentle laser soldering. To achieve this, they developed a bonding agent infused with metallic and ceramic nanoparticles and employed nanothermometry to monitor temperature.

The key innovation behind this soldering process lies in the interaction between two types of nanoparticles within the bonding protein-gelatin paste. As the paste is exposed to laser light, titanium nitride nanoparticles convert the light into heat. Concurrently, specially synthesized bismuth vanadate particles within the paste act as miniature fluorescent nanothermometers. These nanothermometers emit light of a specific wavelength in a temperature-dependent manner, enabling exceptionally accurate real-time temperature control. This groundbreaking technique is particularly well-suited for minimally invasive surgery, as it eliminates the need for stirring and provides precise temperature monitoring for superficial and deep wounds.

Gentle Infrared Soldering

Following extensive optimization through mathematical modeling, the researchers successfully evaluated the composite material’s performance. Collaborating with surgeons from the University Hospital Zurich, the Cleveland Clinic (USA), and Charles University in the Czech Republic, the team achieved rapid, stable, and biocompatible wound closures on organs such as the pancreas and liver during laboratory trials using various tissue samples. Equally impressive was the successful and gentle sealing of challenging tissue segments, including the urethra, fallopian tube, and intestine, using the iSoldering technique. A patent application for the nanoparticle composite material is now pending.

Continuing their innovative journey, the researchers replaced the laser light source with a gentler infrared (IR) light, bringing this soldering technology closer to practical implementation in hospitals. Inge Herrmann, a researcher at Empa, emphasized, “With the application of medically approved IR lamps, our innovative soldering technology could be seamlessly integrated into conventional operating rooms without the need for additional laser protection measures.”

This groundbreaking research promises to redefine the way wounds are closed, offering safer and more efficient alternatives to traditional sutures. The future of wound healing is here, and it’s powered by nanoparticles.

Further information

Prof. Dr. Inge Herrmann
Empa Particles-Biology Interactions 
Phone +41 58 765 7153
inge.herrmann@empa.ch

ETH Nanoparticle Systems Engineering Laboratory 
ingeh@ethz.ch

Oscar Cipolato
Empa Particles-Biology Interactions 
Phone +41 58 765 7699
oscar.cipolato@empa.ch

ETH Nanoparticle Systems Engineering Laboratory 
ocipolato@ethz.ch

Editor / Media contact

Dr. Andrea Six
Communication
Phone: +41 58 765 6133
redaktion@empa.ch

SOURCE: EMPA