Anti-inflammatory spinal patch could repair herniated discs

Anti-inflammatory spinal patch could repair herniated discs

Science and Technology Daily, Beijing, November 15 (Reporter Zhang Mengran) According to the latest issue of "Science Translational Medicine", researchers at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States have developed a nanofiber repair patch that contains a tension-activated anti-inflammatory drug that can be used to repair damage to the annulus fibrosus (the tough ring around the soft center of the intervertebral disc).

In a goat model of disc injury, the patch helped prevent disc degeneration, which often occurs when injuries are not treated promptly. The new patch may help prevent recurrent and painful disc herniations, which can affect about 25% of patients who undergo microdiscectomy. Microdiscectomy surgically removes the herniated material to relieve pain, but it does not repair the damage to the disc. Without repair, the injury and accompanying inflammation can lead to further disc degeneration.

To address this problem, the team created a nanofiber tension-activated repair patch (TARP) embedded with anakinra, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved anti-inflammatory biologic drug that can be used to treat annulus fibrosus injuries.

TARP provides physical closure of the injury and integrates with the new collagen material at the site, while anakinra is released from the TARP in response to tension generated by normal motion of the spine.

The researchers found that in goats with acute cervical spine injuries, one month of TARP treatment prevented further damage that destabilized the intervertebral disc.

<<:  This type of people is most likely to develop diabetes within the next 10 years. Click to see if you are one of them.

>>:  [Food Safety] The food hygiene and safety class is now open!

Recommend

What foods should women eat for daily health care

With the development of economy and the improveme...

53-year-old menopause after two years of amenorrhea

Menopause for 53-year-old women is a normal physi...

What to do if you have acid reflux and heartburn in late pregnancy

It is common for pregnant women to experience sym...

What causes urethritis in women?

Urethritis is a common inflammatory disease in cl...

Can pregnant women use propolis oral mask?

If a pregnant woman suffers from oral ulcers, she...

Do breast lumps require surgery? Tell you the right way to do it!

When a lump appears in the breast, there are many...

How to treat sweating during confinement

Confinement has always been the most important mo...

Both progesterone and hcg decreased

As we all know, there are many common problems fo...

How to make grilled gluten at home? How to prepare the sauce for grilled gluten

Gluten is the protein in flour. Add appropriate a...

What does a woman's chicken breast look like?

People should not be unfamiliar with the disease ...

Can I drink red bean porridge during menstruation?

The nutritional value of red beans is very high, ...

What foods should not be eaten by people with breast diseases?

Women may develop a variety of breast diseases. F...

Mr. Xin and Mr. Ling's "Healthy Meta-Universe"

This is the 3538th article of Da Yi Xiao Hu Mr. X...