Smart stitches aim to send information straight to your doctor. A diagram of how smart stitches can be embedded in skin
(Photo from Tufts University)
Thanks to constant advances in technology, there have been changes to make the medical field better and more efficient. But when you think about getting stitches, it sounds barbaric: you get a nasty cut and the doctor sews you up as if you just ripped your pants. As if that wasn't bad enough, you then have to return to get them taken out. Ouch. Recently, there have been advances to make stitches smarter. Engineers from Tufts University have found a way to make stitches do more than just heal wounds. They want stitches to send information about patients straight to the doctor.
These “smart sutures” are made from a variety of threads, from cotton to synthetic, which were then dipped in physical and chemical sensing compounds. After this, the threads were connected to wireless electronic circuitry creating a flexible platform. The smart stitching can sense pressure, stress, strain, temperature, pH, and glucose levels, along with other diagnostic data. This information can be sent wirelessly to you doctor's phone or computer, allowing them to monitor how their patients are healing or to determine if the wound is infected.
The smart threads aren't just limited to healing wounds, according to Tufts' engineers. They can be used to create smart devices with complex shapes with the ability to follow the contours of a specific organ. Engineer also hope these advance stitches will be used to make smart bandages, orthopedic implants, or even clothes with built-in health monitors and other advance capabilities. But before they can be shipped out to hospitals around the world, the team have more testing to do. The smart thread have been tested on lab rats and in vitro with test results raising the possibility of working on patient specific treatments. But the team still needs to work on long term biocompatibility.
Considering the concept, it makes sense. Often times when people get a nasty cut it can be difficult to determine how the healing process is going without constant doctor check ups. It kind of sounds like something out of a sci-fi flick, which brings up worries about humans with electrical implants. It's a topic comedians and late night hosts often joke about when the latest technology is announced, but with the revelation of the “smart sutures” could this be a step in that direction? More advances in the medical field are finding ways to implement technology to aid patients, so it's a possibility. But will it get to spooky realms of doctors implanting tracking devices without the patient's knowledge? Probably not. If these stitches can actually help people stay healthy and safe, then it's something to look forward to.
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