Research team from Chemnitz University of Technology, IFW Dresden and Max Planck Institute CBG presents a completely new type of biomedical tool with a tiny biocompatible, microelectronic micro-catheter equipped with sensor and actuator functions Catheters are of paramount importance for minimally invasive surgery. They enable interventions such as the removal of blood clots, the insertion of implants, or the targeted administration of drugs, and are intended to be particularly gentle for patients. In general, the less invasive the catheter procedure, the lower the risk of medical complications and the shorter the recovery time.

However, there are limits. For instance, previously developed sensors and actuators were still integrated by hand into electronic catheters. In addition, control and placement of catheters in the body are limited, because the tiny instruments have to be maneuvered externally by the surgeon in a complex environment or placed with robotic assistance. This has significant disadvantages for miniaturization and the use of flexible structures that need to adapt to the body for particularly gentle use in surgery. It has also been difficult to integrate additional sensors and functions into micro-catheters, which hampers their potential applications.

Under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Oliver G. Schmidt, head of the Professorship for Material Systems for Nanoelectronics, designated Scientific Director of the Center for Materials, Architectures and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN) at Chemnitz University of Technology and former Director at the Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research (IFW Dresden), scientists at IFW Dresden in cooperation with the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (CBG) have now presented the world's tiniest flexible, microelectronic microcatheter.
Smart functions – as thin as a hair: New type of biomedical tool

In this smart microelectronic tool for minimally invasive surgery, the electronic components for sensors and actuators are already integrated into the catheter wall from the outset. "Due to the special manufacturing method, the embedded electronic components have no effect on the size of our catheters, which can thus be as thin as a single hair", says Boris Rivkin, lead author of the study, who is pursuing his doctoral graduation at Chemnitz University of Technology and his dissertation at Leibniz IFW Dresden. The instruments have a tiny diameter of only 0.1 mm and are also characterized by their flexibility, resilience, and high biocompatibility. "Using microchip technologies to manufacture the microcatheters allows us to generate completely new types of biomedical and multifunctional tools," adds Prof. Schmidt. Such smart tools could be used, for example, in minimally invasive treatments of aneurysms, vascular malformations, or pancreatic surgery.

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