An injectable patch, used to restore heart function after injury and reduce the need for open-heart surgery, has been developed in animal models by Canadian scientists.
Developed in a collaboration between Western University Engineering (WUE), Ontario, and the University of Mantioba, the patch (made of carbon nanotubes) is injected into the damaged area, where it can attach and repair heart function by passing electrical currents through the affected tissue.
The results, published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, showed that the patch was able to re-establish normal heart function in both rats and minipigs.
“We anticipate that within the next couple of years, this thing will be ready for human trials,” said lead scientist, Professor Kibret Mequanint, of WUE.