“Each (implant) procedure lasted less than 30 minutes, and the patients were able to walk out of the facility and go home unescorted.”
Find here an interesting article about wirelessly controlled implantable drug releasing electronic microchips. The article, featured on Medgadget, details how US company MicroCHIPS has designed a device featuring controllable reservoir arrays that can contain a drug or a microsensor. The reservoirs can be opened and closed either based on a preset program, activated wirelessly through a transmitter, or based on readings of the embedded sensors.
The article states; “The current study focused on delivering teriparatide for post menopausal women suffering from osteoporosis. Normally these women would have to receive an unpleasant daily injection of the drug, but thanks to the MicroCHIPS device, they received a well controlled regular dose with little perceived discomfort.”
MicroCHIPS’ proof of concept work suggests an implant duration of 12 months may be viable.
Source: MedGadget
published: February 17, 2012 in: Orthopaedics, Technology, Universities