Ultrasound-Imageable Hydrogel With Degradable Bubble Microspheres
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ultrasound imaging techniques cannot effectively monitor the location, shape, and degradation status of implanted hydrogels due to their inability to image hydrogels, and existing methods using water-insoluble imaging particles lead to unstable performance and potential residues, raising concerns about foreign body reactions and thrombosis.
Innovation Solution
A medical hydrogel containing ultrasonically-imageable bubble microspheres is formed by in-situ crosslinking a polyethylene glycol precursor solution with a poly-amino crosslinker solution, incorporating bovine serum albumin bubble microspheres, which are chemically bonded and degrade synchronously with the hydrogel, ensuring clear ultrasound imaging and complete degradability without residues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If water-insoluble imaging particles are introduced into the hydrogel to achieve ultrasound imageability, then the imaging effect is enhanced, but the particles are prone to rapid sedimentation and may remain in the body after hydrogel degradation, causing foreign body reactions and thrombosis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the density parameter of the imaging particles by using gas-filled bubbles instead of dense solid particles. The gas-filled microspheres have density close to water, preventing sedimentation while maintaining ultrasound imaging capability through acoustic impedance differences.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses biodegradable materials (polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, or their copolymers) for the microsphere shell that completely degrade within 7-14 days, matching the hydrogel degradation timeline. This eliminates permanent foreign bodies while providing temporary imaging function.
2Measurement precision
If imaging particles are pre-incorporated into the hydrogel, then the imaging effect is enhanced, but the particles sediment rapidly leading to unstable performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses gas-filled bubbles with density lower than water to counteract gravitational sedimentation. The low-density gas cores provide buoyancy that keeps the microspheres suspended uniformly in the hydrogel, eliminating sedimentation-induced performance instability.
3Ease of operation
If conventional ultrasound imaging techniques are used, then the imaging method is simple, but the location, shape, and degradation status of implanted hydrogels cannot be monitored
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces gas-filled microspheres as intermediary agents that convert the invisible hydrogel into an ultrasound-visible structure. These microspheres act as acoustic contrast agents, reflecting ultrasound waves to create visible images of the hydrogel's location, shape, and degradation status using conventional ultrasound equipment.
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 enables real-time ultrasound imaging and complete degradation without residues, maintaining stability and gelling performance, addressing issues of sedimentation and residue-related risks in existing imaging systems.
Implementation Method 1
the medical hydrogel could be clearly ultrasonically imaged, thus realizing real-time observation of the hydrogel in human bodies
Implementation Method 2
Most approaches rely on introducing materials of different densities than water to achieve ultrasound imageability
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a medical hydrogel containing ultrasonically-imageable bubble microspheres and a preparation method thereof. The medical hydrogel containing the ultrasonically-imageable bubble microspheres is formed by in-situ crosslinking of a polyethylene glycol precursor solution and a poly-amino crosslinker solution containing bubble microspheres, the polyethylene glycol precursor solution consisting of a multi-arm polyethylene glycol derivative and a buffer solution A.