I-Corps: Biodegradable device for the surgical closure and structural support of luminal repairs

这个I-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发Bio-Zipper技术，以改善与下尿路重建(LUTR)手术相关的内部组织关闭的结果。与外科医生、医疗保健提供商和机器人手术专家的合作将决定如何最好地开发、修改和优化Bio-Zipper，以确保它不仅高效，而且被该领域的领导者高度采用。一旦该设备被优化以降低在LUTR手术中成功关闭内部的障碍，该设备的使用将被扩展到其他微创手术领域，在这些领域，内部组织关闭是具有挑战性的，例如胃肠道手术、阑尾手术和直肠切除术后的重建。Bio-Zipper将降低成功进行机器人手术的技能门槛，并提供一致、可靠的闭合方法。这种设备根据目标组织进行了微小的修改，可能会在临床上具有挑战性的区域提供更微创的机器人手术选择，从而改善患者的预后。该设备可能会推动更复杂的机器人手术在更多的医疗中心采用。这个I-Corps项目专注于Bio-Zipper技术，它降低了下尿路重建手术成功关闭内部的障碍。该设备的使用还可能扩展到其他微创手术领域，在这些领域，内部组织闭合是具有挑战性的。用于LUTR的Bio-Zipper管腔修复装置通过开发一种仿生粘合剂贴片来直接解决实践中的差距，该贴片的机械性能与所应用的组织的机械特性相匹配。该装置是专门设计的，以确保整个修复过程中的张力分配，并提供防水、稳定的支持，尽管在愈合过程中生理性的、间歇性的膀胱充盈。该设备有可能通过快速、一致的关闭来改善接受LUTR的儿童和成人的生活质量和结果，这将促进向微创、体外和患者驱动的分流选择的过渡。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is a the development of a Bio-Zipper technology to improve outcomes in internal tissue closures related to Lower Urinary Tract Reconstructive (LUTR) surgery. Collaboration with surgeons, healthcare providers, and robotic surgery specialists will determine how to best develop, modify, and optimize the Bio-Zipper to ensure that it will not only be highly effective, but also highly adopted by leaders in the field. Once the device is optimized to lower the hurdles to successful internal closures in LUTR surgery, the device utilization will be expanded into other areas of minimally invasive surgery where internal tissue closure is challenging, such as reconstructions following gastrointestinal tract procedures, appendiceal procedures, and proctectomy. The Bio-Zipper will lower the skill-based barriers to successful robotic surgeries and provide a consistent, reliable closure method. This device, with small modifications based on the target tissue, may result in improved patient outcomes by allowing for more minimally-invasive robotic surgical options in clinically challenging areas. The device may drive the adoption of more complex robotic surgeries in a larger number of medical centers.This I-Corps project focuses on a Bio-Zipper technology that lowers the hurdles to successful internal closures in Lower Urinary Tract Reconstruction surgery. The use of the device may also be expanded into other areas of minimally-invasive surgery where internal tissue closures are challenging. The Bio-Zipper Luminal Repair Device for LUTR addresses practice gaps directly through the development of a biomimetic adhesive patch with mechanical properties tuned to those of the tissue to which it has been applied. The device is specifically designed to ensure distribution of tension across the repair and to provide watertight, stable support despite physiologic, intermittent bladder filling during the healing process. The device has the potential to improve quality of life and outcomes for children and adults undergoing LUTR via rapid, consistent closures that will facilitate the transition to minimally invasive, intracorporeal, patient-driven diversion selection.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.