Thermogelling endotamponade for retinal-detachment repair
57668d629ac640d582d1ecf2cadae972.png "2020 12 15 Nature Biomedical Engineering - schematic of thermogel as vitreous substitute(resized)")
.png "2020 12 15 Nature Biomedical Engineering- primate retinal (resized)")
IMRE researchers together with collaborators from IMCB, SERI, Department of Ophthalmology at NUS and NUH have developed a biodegradable thermogel that could serve as a long term vitreous substitute after eye surgery. The thermogel is biocompatible and can keep the retina in place for up to a year in non-human primates and further break down without the need for a second surgery. This can overcome limitations of current substitutes such as inert gas or silicone, which require an uncomfortable head-down posture, restriction on air travel and additional removal surgery.
The technology allows for better vision and quality of life after surgery, showing strong potential for adoption in eye surgery. The team is moving towards the commercialization of the thermogel as a vitreous substitute medical product.
Reference:
Zengping Liu et al., "Retinal-detachment repair and vitreous-like-body reformation via a thermogelling polymer endotamponade", Nature Biomedical Engineering 3, 598-610 (2019)
Link to online version of paper in Nature Biomedical Engineering.