Bioresorbable Bioelectronic Electrodes for In Situ Tissue Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bioelectronic devices are invasive, requiring surgical implantation and removal, and lack seamless integration into dynamic biological systems, primarily focusing on chronic illnesses, with conventional polymers protruding from electrodes and causing tissue damage.
Innovation Solution
A self-organizing, biocompatible, bioresorbable electrode composition comprising polymers and compounds that self-assemble into conductive structures using enzymatic, photochemical, or electrochemical processes, allowing precise localization and integration into tissues like tumors and vascular systems without invasive surgery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional polymers are used in bioelectronic devices, then electrical conductivity is achieved, but tissue damage and poor integration occur due to protrusion from rigid electrodes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the electrode material by using soft, flexible polymers with tunable mechanical properties that match biological tissues. The polymer composition and crosslinking density are adjusted to achieve optimal softness and biocompatibility, eliminating tissue damage while maintaining electrical functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material structures combining conductive polymers with biocompatible matrices. These composite electrodes integrate multiple functions: electrical conductivity from the polymer component, mechanical softness from the matrix, and biocompatibility from carefully selected material combinations, resolving the contradiction between conductivity and tissue compatibility.
2Measurement precision
If surgical implantation methods are used for bioelectronic devices, then precise placement is achieved, but invasiveness and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes hydrodynamic injection methods to deliver liquid or gel precursor materials through catheters to the target site. The material is then polymerized in situ to form the electrode, combining minimally invasive delivery with precise placement controlled by the injection technique and subsequent localized polymerization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary material delivery through minimally invasive catheter-based injection, placing the precursor material at the target site before final electrode formation. This preliminary action enables precise placement without requiring complex surgical procedures during the actual electrode formation stage.
3Stability of the object's composition
If rigid solid-state electrodes are used, then structural stability is maintained, but adaptability to dynamic biological systems is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic, adaptable electrode materials that can change their mechanical properties in response to the biological environment. The soft polymers can deform with tissue movement, and some formulations exhibit viscoelastic behavior that allows both flexibility during movement and structural integrity during function, achieving both adaptability and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses flexible polymer films and soft encapsulating structures that conform to the dynamic geometry of biological tissues. These flexible structures maintain electrical functionality while adapting to tissue deformation, breathing movements, and organ dynamics, resolving the contradiction between structural stability and adaptability.
4Ease of manufacture
If bioresorbable materials are used, then removal surgery is avoided, but material selection and synthesis complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs electrodes using bioresorbable polymers that naturally degrade and are eliminated by the body after serving their therapeutic function. This eliminates the need for removal surgery while maintaining electrical functionality during the treatment period. The materials are engineered to degrade at controlled rates matching the therapeutic timeline.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs disposable, single-use bioresorbable electrodes that perform their function and then naturally disappear. These materials, while requiring careful synthesis, use relatively simple polymer chemistries based on common biodegradable platforms, balancing the complexity of material selection with the significant benefit of avoiding removal procedures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composition provides minimally invasive, precise, and stable electrical connections within the body, reducing tissue damage and enabling targeted treatments for non-chronic conditions like cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, with potential for pain management and immune modulation.
Implementation Method 1
self-assemble into conductive structures using enzymatic, photochemical, or electrochemical processes
Implementation Method 2
self-assemble into conductive structures using enzymatic, photochemical, or electrochemical processes
Implementation Method 3
self-assemble into conductive structures using enzymatic, photochemical, or electrochemical processes
Implementation Method 4
in vivo electropolymerization of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) monomer templated on poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS), thus forming poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT):PSS structures
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a composition comprising a polymer of formula (I) and one or more compound of formula (II) or formula (III), and uses thereof in treating a disease, such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, infections, or neurodegenerative diseases; wherein the polymer of formula (I) and the one or more compound of formula (II) or formula (III) are represented by the structures; and A, E, Z, Z′, R1, R2, R3, R3′, R4, R4′, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, R10, n, m, a, y and q are as defined in the specification.