Designing hydrogel for application in spinal surgery

Materials Today Bio, 2025 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101536 · Published: February 3, 2025

Simple Explanation

Spinal diseases and injuries are common and costly, with current treatments often providing limited long-term relief. Hydrogel-based treatments are a promising alternative. Hydrogels can be injected into the spine to provide mechanical support, deliver drugs, and support cell transplantation, offering a minimally invasive approach to treatment. The review summarizes recent advances in hydrogel design for treating spinal issues like disc degeneration, spinal cord injury, and dural membrane injury, discussing design considerations and therapeutic outcomes.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

Not specified

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Hydrogels can provide mechanical support to the spine, fill defects, and facilitate localized drug delivery, enhancing therapeutic effects while reducing adverse reactions.
2
For intervertebral disc regeneration, tough hydrogels, adhesive hydrogels, and hydrogels targeting inflammation and ROS are highlighted as promising designs.
3
For spinal cord injury repair, conductive hydrogels and cell therapy using hydrogels are promising strategies to promote axonal growth, neurogenesis, and functional recovery.

Research Summary

This review discusses the use of hydrogels in spinal surgery for treating intervertebral disc degeneration, spinal cord injury, and dural injury, highlighting their potential for mechanical support and localized drug delivery. Key aspects of hydrogel design for spinal applications include biocompatibility, mechanical properties, functionality (e.g., drug release), and personalized design tailored to specific spinal issues. Hydrogels demonstrate promise in sealing dural defects, preventing cerebrospinal fluid leakage, and minimizing epidural adhesions, ultimately improving patient outcomes and reducing medical costs.

Practical Implications

Improved Spinal Treatments

Hydrogels offer a minimally invasive approach to treating spinal diseases and injuries, potentially improving therapeutic outcomes and patient quality of life.

Localized Drug Delivery

Hydrogels enable targeted delivery of pharmacological agents, reducing adverse reactions and enhancing therapeutic effects in the spine.

Enhanced Tissue Regeneration

Hydrogels can act as structural supports for transplanted cells, improving cell survival, proliferation, and integration into adjacent host tissues, promoting tissue regeneration and functional recovery.

Study Limitations

1
The ideal hydrogels for intervertebral disc repair should have similar mechanical properties and integration strength as natural annulus fibrosus tissue.
2
The pathophysiology of spinal cord injury is complex and poorly understood.
3
Future studies are needed to improve the tissue adhesion and sealing performance of hydrogels under wet conditions

Your Feedback

Was this summary helpful?

Back to Surgery