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Spiders inspire double-sided sticky tape to heal wounds | Spiders inspire double-sided sticky tape to heal wounds |
(about 13 hours later) | |
A double-sided tape designed to stick body tissue together after surgery has been inspired by the way spiders exude "glue" to catch their prey in the rain. | A double-sided tape designed to stick body tissue together after surgery has been inspired by the way spiders exude "glue" to catch their prey in the rain. |
Scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology noticed how the spiders' secretion absorbed water, helping to secure their next meal. | Scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology noticed how the spiders' secretion absorbed water, helping to secure their next meal. |
The sticky tape does the same and was found to work within seconds in tests on pig skin and lungs. | The sticky tape does the same and was found to work within seconds in tests on pig skin and lungs. |
The team said with more research, it could be used in place of sutures. | The team said with more research, it could be used in place of sutures. |
But they are still several years away from trials in humans. | But they are still several years away from trials in humans. |
Getting tissues in the body to form a tight seal is difficult because water on their surface makes them slippery. | Getting tissues in the body to form a tight seal is difficult because water on their surface makes them slippery. |
Sutures - stitches that hold a wound or cut together - don't always work well and can cause infections and pain. | Sutures - stitches that hold a wound or cut together - don't always work well and can cause infections and pain. |
And tissue glues, which already exist, can take several minutes to work and may drip on to other body parts. | And tissue glues, which already exist, can take several minutes to work and may drip on to other body parts. |
So the scientists turned to nature for inspiration. | |
Spiders secrete a sticky material containing charged polysaccharides that absorb water from the surface of an insect almost instantaneously, leaving a small dry patch the glue can then stick to. | Spiders secrete a sticky material containing charged polysaccharides that absorb water from the surface of an insect almost instantaneously, leaving a small dry patch the glue can then stick to. |
And, similarly, the researchers used polyacrylic acid on the tape to absorb water from wet body tissues, which then activated the glue to stick fast. | And, similarly, the researchers used polyacrylic acid on the tape to absorb water from wet body tissues, which then activated the glue to stick fast. |
Adding gelatin or chitosan, can make the tape hold its shape for a few days or a month depending on how long it needs to last, the researchers say. | Adding gelatin or chitosan, can make the tape hold its shape for a few days or a month depending on how long it needs to last, the researchers say. |
'Fragile tissues' | 'Fragile tissues' |
They have now tested it out on different types of rat and pig tissue, including small intestine, stomach, liver and skin. | They have now tested it out on different types of rat and pig tissue, including small intestine, stomach, liver and skin. |
Study author Hyunwoo Yuk said: "It's very challenging to suture soft or fragile tissues such as the lung and trachea - but with our double-sided tape, within five seconds we can easily seal them." | Study author Hyunwoo Yuk said: "It's very challenging to suture soft or fragile tissues such as the lung and trachea - but with our double-sided tape, within five seconds we can easily seal them." |
It could potentially also be used to attach medical devices to organs such as the heart "without causing damage or secondary complications from puncturing tissue". | It could potentially also be used to attach medical devices to organs such as the heart "without causing damage or secondary complications from puncturing tissue". |
The researchers now plan to perform more tests on animals. | The researchers now plan to perform more tests on animals. |
The study is published in Nature. | The study is published in Nature. |
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