A blood clot-busting millirobot. (University of Twente) Blood clots, notorious for their life-threatening consequences, may face a revolutionary nemesis in the form of millirobots, a groundbreaking invention by Dutch scientists. These miniature wonders, roughly the size of a grain of rice, boast a corkscrew-shaped body housing a small magnet, enabling them to navigate through blood vessels and dismantle clots.
The millirobots are introduced into the bloodstream via a cannula, a slender tube, and are manipulated by an external magnet that controls their movement. These tiny marvels swim against the blood flow, reaching the targeted clot, where they commence drilling. This innovative approach breaks down the clot into manageable pieces that are swept away by the blood. Subsequently, a change in the external magnet's rotation guides the millirobots back to the cannula for removal.
A blood clot-busting millirobot at work.
The researchers conducted experiments at the Technical Medical Centre of the University of Twente, achieving success in guiding millirobots through vessels and effectively disintegrating clots. The potential benefits of this technology are immense, offering a non-surgical, low-risk alternative for hard-to-reach or stubborn blood clots. By minimizing the reliance on surgery or drugs, the millirobots aim to mitigate potential side effects and complications associated with conventional treatments.
As Asst. Prof. Islam Khalil from the University of Twente highlighted, "The robots can deliver drugs to very specific places in the body where the drug is needed the most. That way we have minimal side effects in the rest of the body." The collaboration between Radboud University Medical Center and Triticum Medical aims to refine the millirobots for enhanced efficiency and safety in human applications. Future possibilities include exploring their use in arterial cleaning or plaque removal, opening new frontiers in medical innovation.
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