Magneto-mechanical actuation of nascent post-surgical adhesions
Embargo Date
2026-06-02
OA Version
Citation
Abstract
Post-surgical adhesions are characterized by pathological fibrous tissue bridges forming between organ surfaces after surgical intervention. These adhesions often lead to severe complications, including chronic pain, intestinal obstruction, and secondary infertility. Current adhesion prevention strategies, including pharmacological agents, physical barriers, and secondary surgical interventions, are often inadequate due to harmful off-target effects, limited effectiveness, or a tendency for adhesions to reform. Consequently, there is a significant clinical need for innovative methods to effectively disrupt or prevent adhesion formation at early stages.This thesis explores the use of magneto-mechanical actuation (MMA), a novel approach leveraging superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs), to mechanically disrupt nascent fibrin networks forming immediately post-surgery. By externally applying time-varying dynamic magnetic fields (DMFs), these nanoparticles are induced to aggregate and rotate, exerting localized mechanical forces capable of fragmenting fibrin matrices during their initial development phase, when intervention is most promising.
A custom-designed electromagnetic device capable of producing precisely controlled rotating magnetic fields was developed and optimized to achieve uniform magnetic fields tailored specifically for MMA applications. Using magneto-optical methods, the assembly and rotational dynamics of SPIONs were characterized under varying magnetic field conditions, establishing clear relationships between field parameters and nanoparticle aggregation states. Furthermore, a fibrin hydrogel model, mimicking the mechanical properties of nascent adhesions, was established. Rheological characterization via small-angle oscillatory shear (SAOS) rheometry provided quantitative evidence of changes in hydrogel viscoelasticity following incorporation of SPIONs into the fibrin network.
Overall, this research investigates the feasibility of MMA as a mechanically driven modality for treatment of early-stage surgical adhesions, laying groundwork for future translational studies.
Description
2025