Sea snails for faster recovery

Thanks to the natural glue of sea slugs with which they cling to rocks, and technology similar to an ink-jet printer, a team of researchers from the University of North Carolina has developed a new method for making medical glues that could replace the sutures common in operating rooms in the future

Thanks to the natural glue of sea slugs with which they cling to rocks, and technology similar to an inkjet printer, a team of researchers from the University of North Carolina has developed a new method for preparing medical glues that could in the future replace the common sutures in operating rooms for a reduced scar, faster recovery time and higher precision in surgeries As grueling as eye surgery.

Traditionally, there are two ways to join tissues together following surgery: sutures and synthetic adhesives. Stitches work properly, but require high skill and longer time. In addition, the use of sutures has also been linked to several surgical complications, such as discomfort, infections and inflammation. The use of synthetic adhesives is also widespread, but they are the source of growing concern about their toxicity and damage to the environment. One such concern with synthetic medical glues is that they do not break down in the body and therefore may cause inflammation, tissue damage or other problems.

However, new research shows that the adhesive proteins found in the "glue" produced by sea slugs could be used in place of the synthetic glues without the concerns mentioned above, because they are non-toxic and break down in the body - all this according to the article published by Dr. Roger Narayan. Moreover, these proteins can be added to a solution that will be used in injection technology, similar to ink in an injection printer, to obtain customized medical adhesives that have extensive applications. For example, says the researcher, "this method could significantly improve wound repair in eye surgeries, wound sealing and fracture fixation."

"This is an improved way of connecting tissues," says the researcher, "because the use of injection technology gives you greater control over the exact location of the glue. This ensures that the tissues are joined together at exactly the right point to create a better bond leading to improved healing and a reduction in the rate of scarring." This increased control will be a clear advantage for operations that rely on extreme precision, such as eye surgery, explains the researcher.

The original news of the university