Esophageal fistulas, or holes in the esophagus, can happen due to cancer, injuries, or medical treatments. These fistulas can cause serious problems, and while metal stents can help block them, they can also cause issues like migration or bleeding over time. A new kind of stent has been created to address these problems. This stent is made from a special material th...
Teeth aren't just for chewing. They have a living part inside called pulp. As people get older, this pulp changes. It's not as lively as it used to be. There are fewer cells and blood vessels. This makes it harder for teeth to heal when they get damaged. The pulp also gets tougher. It makes more collagen and a substance called secondary dentin. This fills up the pul...
A revolution is happening in the world of healing. It involves tiny needles that can do big things. These are not your usual needles. They are called microneedles. Microneedles have been around since 1998. They are great at getting past the body's natural barriers without causing much harm. This makes them perfect for delivering medicines through the skin. Now, scie...
Imagine cells that can transform into almost anything. These are called pluripotent stem cells. They can be coaxed into becoming mesenchymal stem cells, or MSCs. These MSCs are superheroes in the world of medicine. They help fix and regrow damaged tissues. Scientists have been studying them for a while, but there's a new kid on the block: ps-MSCs. These are MSCs made...
Cartilage in joints like knees can get damaged easily, and unlike other parts of the body, it doesn't fix itself. This is a big problem, especially for athletes, people with injuries, and those suffering from conditions like osteoarthritis. Traditionally, treating cartilage damage has been tricky. It either doesn't work well, needs two separate surgeries, or is just ...
Ever wondered why healing a rotator cuff is such a big deal? It's because the tendon-bone interface (TBI) has a tough time healing on its own, and that's where retears happen. Scientists are racing to make better repair materials that are strong and can control how the immune system responds to help it heal right. In one recent study, scientists cooked up a new scaf...
Scientists are testing an innovative way to regenerate fat tissue using a biodegradable implant and stem cells. The implant, made of poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) mesh and a collagen sponge (CS), is seeded with adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) known for their impressive ability to multiply and transform into different types of cells. In this study, the implants were ins...
Are you dealing with knee pain? You might have heard about platelet-rich plasma (PRP), a nifty treatment gaining traction in the medical world. PRP is like a supercharged version of your own blood, packed with more platelets than usual. These platelets are little helpers that promote healing and regeneration. Sounds fancy, right? Well, it's not just hype—doctors have...
Infected wounds often struggle to heal due to bacterial invasion and inflammation. To tackle this, scientists created a unique scaffold using hyaluronan and modified gelatin. This scaffold, called HAG-g-C, was designed to mimic a protein-rich environment and was decorated with a natural antimicrobial peptide called cathelicidin-BF (CBF). In lab tests, HAG-g-C showed...