The artificial bridging of wounds and incisions using suture stitching has been one of the most significant surgical actions since ancient times, targeting the fast healing of the wound and the minimization of potential topical infections. The success in suture stitching human tissues is dependent upon the experience and practice of the surgeon, with fundamental application parameter that of strain applied on the suture during perforation. The last affects the quality of incision anastomosis and the subsequent generation of deformations and scars. The project Photonic sensors in ophthalmological sutures-PHΑΕΤΗΟΝ targets –for the first time ever- the development of a new type of surgical sutures, imparted with optical sensing functionalities for the in-situ measurement of strain parameter during tissues perforation. The “smart sutures” developed in PHAETHON will be adapted for meeting the high needs of ophthalmological surgery, mostly targeting use during cornea tissue surgery, frequently met in cornea disk transplants and in glaucoma therapies; an application field of great socio-economical impact. The strain applied to the finite sutures during cornea disk stitching, dominates post-surgical complications, with most significant being that of the introduction of refractive aberrations, leading to deterioration of visual ability of the patient -and upon case to blindness-; simultaneously, boosting medical costs and downgrading quality of life for the patient. The advanced sutures developed in PHAETHON project will be based on the use of optical fiber Bragg grating sensors integrated on Nylon sutures, for monitoring in-real-time the strain applied on the sutures, during tissue perforation. The advanced sutures of PHAETHON project will be developed considering easy application in the surgical activity, without introducing significant modifications of the surgical protocol. The sutures developed will be initially tested in optical laboratory environment, then applied on in-vitro cornea samples, and finally, pushed to pro-clinical trials on the stitching of rabbit corneas, targeting a TRL5 and fertilizing potential commercialization. In parallel, the success of PHAETHON project is expected to benefit other areas of modern surgery including plastic surgery of flesh tissue, re-connection of tendons and ligaments and anastomosis of internal organs. The consortium of PHAETHON project is constituted of the Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas, Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, a renowned organization in the field of disruptive optical fiber sensors, and the Athens Vision a European class clinic, with breakthrough surgical protocols in the cornea surgery.
Links
[1] https://cc-webserver.iesl.forth.gr/en/people/pissadakis-stavros
[2] https://cc-webserver.iesl.forth.gr/en/people/staff-scientists/dr-konstantaki-maria
[3] https://cc-webserver.iesl.forth.gr/en/people/sarakatsianos-vasilis
[4] https://cc-webserver.iesl.forth.gr/en/people/chapalo-ivan
[5] https://cc-webserver.iesl.forth.gr/en/people/giouni-polyxeni
[6] https://cc-webserver.iesl.forth.gr/en/project/phaethon-0