Hydrogel Patch for Spinal Cord Injury via Phase Transition
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for spinal cord injuries lack a non-invasive method for nerve regeneration, particularly during the acute period following injury, due to limitations with adult and embryonic stem cells, and existing hydrogel-based treatments are invasive and not suitable for immediate application.
Innovation Solution
A hydrogel patch composed of fibrin, laminin, and hyaluronic acid, optionally with thrombin and cell growth factors, which can be applied non-invasively to the spinal cord injury site, undergoing phase transitions for effective delivery and biodegradation, promoting nerve regeneration without the need for cellular therapeutic agents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cell therapeutic agents (adult stem cells, embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells) are used to induce spinal cord nerve regeneration, then nerve regeneration capability is improved, but treatment time delay and immune rejection problems occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential regenerative functions from complex cell therapies by using small molecules (growth factors, anti-inflammatory agents) that can be delivered immediately without the time-consuming cell culture and differentiation processes. This removes the time delay while maintaining the beneficial regenerative effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces hydrogel as an intermediary delivery system that can immediately release therapeutic agents at the injury site. This hydrogel mediator provides the regenerative effects without requiring actual cell transplantation, thus avoiding both time delay and immune rejection issues.
2Speed
If invasive surgical treatment is performed for spinal cord injury, then immediate treatment during acute period is possible, but secondary injury and treatment complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a hydrogel patch that can be applied as a thin film or flexible material directly to the injury site. This non-invasive approach provides immediate treatment during the acute period without requiring open surgery, thus avoiding secondary injury while maintaining treatment timing advantages.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces invasive mechanical surgical procedures with a non-invasive hydrogel patch application. This substitution eliminates the need for complex surgical intervention while still achieving immediate therapeutic delivery during the critical acute period.
3Reliability
If adult stem cells are used for spinal cord injury treatment, then immune rejection is avoided, but cell availability and differentiation ability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses small molecule therapeutic agents delivered via hydrogel that can be immediately applied and do not require long-term cell culture or differentiation processes. These short-acting therapeutic compounds provide the necessary regenerative effects without the limitations of adult stem cell availability and differentiation capacity.
4Reliability
If embryonic stem cells are used for spinal cord injury treatment, then nerve regeneration potential is improved, but ethical problems and immune rejection occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the beneficial regenerative potential from embryonic stem cells by using small molecule growth factors and therapeutic agents that can induce similar regenerative effects without the ethical concerns and immune rejection issues associated with actual embryonic stem cell use.
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 hydrogel patch enhances neural stem cell differentiation, reduces inflammatory responses, and promotes regeneration of motor neurons and oligodendrocytes, facilitating recovery and reducing secondary spinal cord injuries, as demonstrated by improved motor function and histological analysis in animal models.
Implementation Method 1
undergoing phase transitions for effective delivery and biodegradation
Implementation Method 2
A hydrogel patch composed of fibrin, laminin, and hyaluronic acid, optionally with thrombin
Implementation Method 3
The hydrogel patch enhances neural stem cell differentiation, reduces inflammatory responses, and promotes regeneration
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Provided are a hydrogel patch, a method of preparing the same, and a composition for the treatment of spinal cord injury including the hydrogel patch. The hydrogel patch enables a spinal cord injury patient to be treated in a manner which is non-invasive to the spinal cord.