"Researchers at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China, figured out how to precisely control a knot's geometry and friction so that they could 'program' it to open when tugged on with a given force. This allows a surgeon - or a robot - stitching up a wound to pull a suture closed with just the right amount of force, simply by tugging the free end of the knotted thread and stopping when the knot unfurls."
"In simulated operations described in Nature on 26 November, the slipknot technique allowed inexperienced surgeons to perform sutures as well as their experienced peers. In rats, slipknot-aided colon surgery led to blood flow being restored faster, fewer leaks and less scar tissue than using conventional stitches. Surgeons usually gauge how much tension is in stitches by look and feel - a skill that takes years to learn and remains variable even among experts."
Programmable, easy-to-release slipknots can be inserted into surgical thread to control suture tension precisely. The knots are engineered by controlling geometry and friction so they open when tugged with a predetermined force. A surgeon or robot can pull the free end and stop when the knot unfurls, producing the intended tension without subjective judgment. Simulated operations showed inexperienced practitioners achieving results comparable to experienced peers, and rat colon surgeries produced faster blood-flow restoration, fewer leaks and reduced scar tissue versus conventional stitches. The slipknot acts as a mechanical fuse limiting force transmitted to tissue. Knot opening involves rapid bending, twisting, sliding and frictional contact.
Read at Nature
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]