A Reconfigurable Proangiogenic Hydrogel Patch Enabling Minimally Invasive Drug Delivery.

ABSTRACT: Hydrogel is widely used for the sustained delivery of bioactive molecules that can treat various injuries, diseases, and tissue defects. However, inserting hydrogel implants without disrupting their functionality and microstructure often requires a large incision, leading to potential complications, such as infection, scarring, and pain. The gel implant is often manually rolled and inserted through a catheter for a minimally invasive delivery. However, success heavily depends on the user's skills, which can inadvertently damage the implant. To address this issue, we developed a reconfigurable hydrogel patch that can self-fold into a small tube and unfold spontaneously after implantation through a catheter. The hydrogel path was assembled by layering a drug-releasing poly(ethylene glycol) d

SUBMITTER: Baek K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11445714 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature