2023-07-27 スイス連邦工科大学ローザンヌ校(EPFL)
◆この革新的な治療法は、気管軟化症の改善された治療オプションへの期待を高めています。研究者たちは、粘着性ゲルパッチが湿った気管表面に強く接着し、完全に崩壊した気管をサポートする能力を実証しました。
◆この研究により、気管軟化症の治療における新しいアプローチとして、粘着性水性ゲルの利用が可能になりました。現在は、さらなる研究が進行中で、気管軟化症の治療における有望な解決策になることが期待されています。
<関連情報>
- https://actu.epfl.ch/news/exploring-a-new-approach-to-treating-collapsed-air/
- https://www.cell.com/iscience/fulltext/S2589-0042(23)01245-2
湿潤粘着性ハイドロゲルによる悪性気管(気管軟化症)矯正の概念実証 Wet adhesive hydrogels to correct malacic trachea (tracheomalacia) A proof of concept
Ece Uslu ,Vijay Kumar Rana,Sokratis Anagnostopoulos,Peyman Karami,Alessandra Bergadano,Cecile Courbon,Francois Gorostidi,Kishore Sandu,Nikolaos Stergiopulos,Dominique P. Pioletti
iScience Published:June 18, 2023
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2023.107168
Highlights
•Malacic trachea (Tracheomalacia) collapses and requires external mechanical support
•Simulation indicated soft but adhesive hydrogel patch can hinder the airway collapse
•HEAam-based adhesive hydrogels showed robust adhesion on tracheal surfaces
•Adhesive hydrogels could be a promising approach to correct malacic trachea
Summary
Tracheomalacia (TM) is a condition characterized by a weak tracheal cartilage and/or muscle, resulting in excessive collapse of the airway in the newborns. Current treatments including tracheal reconstruction, tracheoplasty, endo- and extra-luminal stents have limitations. To address these limitations, this work proposes a new strategy by wrapping an adhesive hydrogel patch around a malacic trachea. Through a numerical model, first it was demonstrated that a hydrogel patch with sufficient mechanical and adhesion strength can preserve the trachea’s physiological shape. Accordingly, a new hydrogel providing robust adhesion on wet tracheal surfaces was synthesized employing the hydroxyethyl acrylamide (HEAam) and polyethylene glycol methacrylate (PEGDMA) as main polymer network and crosslinker, respectively. Ex vivo experiments revealed that the adhesive hydrogel patches can restrain the collapsing of malacic trachea under negative pressure. This study may open the possibility of using an adhesive hydrogel as a new approach in the difficult clinical situation of tracheomalacia.