Article Impact Level: HIGH Data Quality: STRONG Summary of Applied Physics Reviews, 12(1), 011416. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0233677 Dr. Marcus C. J. de Boer et al.
Points
- The study evaluates an untethered magnetic robot (UMR) for precise and controlled clot removal in complex vascular environments using x-ray-guided wireless manipulation.
- The UMR was tested using mechanical fragmentation, chemical lysis, and a hybrid approach combining both techniques in an ex vivo thrombosis model.
- Mechanical fragmentation showed the highest clot removal rate (0.87 mm³/min), while hybrid dissolution provided more consistent removal (0.45 mm³/min), outperforming chemical lysis alone.
- The UMR effectively restored blood flow within 15 minutes by navigating through the abdominal aorta and removing a clot in the sheep’s left iliac artery.
- The study highlights UMRs’ potential for non-invasive clot removal and suggests their broader use in targeted drug delivery, reducing systemic side effects.
Summary
This study evaluates the effectiveness of an untethered magnetic robot (UMR) for wireless blood clot removal in ex vivo tissue, specifically targeting complex vascular environments. The UMR integrates x-ray-guided wireless manipulation to address precise and controlled clot intervention challenges. By leveraging the robot’s untethered nature and small size, it can navigate intricate vascular networks more efficiently than traditional methods. The study explores three techniques for clot removal: mechanical fragmentation, chemical lysis, and a hybrid approach combining both methods. These approaches were tested using an ex vivo endovascular thrombosis model in a sheep’s iliac artery. The results showed that mechanical fragmentation and hybrid dissolution significantly outperformed control and chemical lysis alone in clot removal efficiency.
In the experiment, a 13-mm-long, 1-day-old blood clot was positioned inside a sheep’s left common iliac artery. Within 15 minutes, the UMR was deployed into the abdominal aorta, achieving direct revascularization. Mechanical fragmentation demonstrated the highest clot removal rate, with a median of 0.87 mm3/min (range: 2.81 mm3/min). The hybrid dissolution method, while slower, exhibited more consistent removal at a median rate of 0.45 mm3/min (range: 0.23 mm3/min). In comparison, no intervention showed minimal change and chemical lysis alone had slower results. The UMR, guided by X-ray imaging, successfully fragmented and dissolved clots, reducing the risk of embolization and restoring blood flow.
These findings highlight the potential of UMRs for non-invasive blood clot removal, offering a promising alternative to conventional surgical techniques. The ability to use hybrid methods combining mechanical fragmentation and chemical lysis enhances the safety and effectiveness of clot removal. The research demonstrates the feasibility of UMRs for targeted clot intervention. It suggests their future role in other medical applications, such as drug delivery to specific body areas, minimizing systemic side effects.
Link to the article: https://pubs.aip.org/aip/apr/article/12/1/011416/3336723/Wireless-mechanical-and-hybrid-thrombus
References De Boer, M. C. J., Ligtenberg, L.-J. W., Mulder, I., Goulas, C., Klingner, A., Lomme, R., Rot, E. A. M. K., Wasserberg, D., Lu, Y., Liefers, R., Van Der Mijle Meijer, J. K., Tuijthof, G. J. M., Ami, D. B., Sadeh, U., Shoseyov, O., Leclerc, J., Becker, A. T., Jonkheijm, P., Warlé, M., & Khalil, I. S. M. (2025). Wireless mechanical and hybrid thrombus fragmentation of ex vivo endovascular thrombosis model in the iliac artery. Applied Physics Reviews, 12(1), 011416. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0233677
