Smart magnetic solutions for surgery

Recently, a surgical technique called natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) demonstrated the potential for scarless surgery with less anaesthesia and shorter hospitalisation times. However, a major issue with NOTES is the need for a secure, leak-free access port through the gastric wall to target organs.

Under the aegis of the SMART MAG SOLUTIONS (Smart magnetic solutions for minimally invasive surgery) initiative, researchers successfully exploited magnetic self-assembly to address this issue. Areas of expertise included medical device design and testing, medical imaging and endoscopic navigation.

Project activities resulted in over 20 peer-reviewed publications in technical and clinical journals as well as conferences and workshops. Moreover, several European patent applications are pending.

Through this Marie Curie grant, a talented researcher was reintegrated into the University College Cork in Ireland. The awardee established the Biomedical Design Research Group at the University with a focus on developing biomedical solutions for applications in surgery and endoscopy. This is now internationally recognised as a leading centre for developing novel user-centred solutions for surgery and endoscopy. Moreover, the awardee is now designated as First Year Programme Director for Engineering at this institute.

Besides gastrointestinal therapy via gastrointestinal endoscopy, SMART MAG SOLUTIONS could also extend their technique for application in hernia repair, colorectal cancer and obesity intervention.