Miniature Bioprinter Offers Precision Hydrogel Delivery for Vocal Cord Surgery
A new bioprinting technique promises to revolutionize the delivery of healing hydrogels during delicate surgeries, particularly those involving the vocal cords. Researchers have developed a remarkably small bioprinter capable of depositing materials directly into the throat,addressing the limitations of current,less precise methods.
Hydrogels: A Promising Tool for Tissue Repair
Healing hydrogels – cross-linked polymer chains known for their high water content – are increasingly recognized for their potential to promote tissue healing and minimize complications following surgical procedures. However, conventional delivery methods, relying on external needle injections, ofen lack the accuracy needed to reach critical areas, such as the vocal cords during laryngeal surgery.
McGill Researchers Pioneer In-Body bioprinting
A team led by Luc Mongeau,a professor of mechanical engineering at McGill University,has unveiled a novel approach: printing hydrogels directly into the surgical site ( Device 2025,DOI:10.1016/j.device.2025.100973). While bioprinting hydrogels inside the body isn’t entirely new, previous attempts were hampered by the size of the printers, rendering them unsuitable for intricate procedures like vocal cord surgery.
“To reliably reach the vocal cords, the bioprinter needs to be small enough to allow surgeons to see where they are working but still accurate enough to deposit hydrogels in the correct location,” explained a PhD student involved in the research.
A Breakthrough in miniaturization
The team overcame this challenge through a meticulous process of design and refinement. They began by constructing a silicone-based prototype to validate the integration of cables and motors, then systematically reduced the system’s size. The result is a bioprinter featuring a nozzle with a diameter of just 2.7 mm – a 76% reduction compared to the previously smallest bioprinter.
Novel Hydrogel Formulation Enhances Printability
Complementing the hardware innovation is a newly developed hydrogel, created specifically for this type of surgery. According to researchers, the material – details of which have not yet been published – exhibits unique properties that promote tissue regeneration. Crucially, the gel’s viscosity decreases under pressure, making it ideally suited for extrusion through the bioprinter’s small nozzle.
Triumphant Reconstruction in a Surgical Model
To assess the bioprinter’s capabilities, the researchers tested it using a surgical model replicating human vocal cords.The results were encouraging. A researcher, with no prior surgical training, successfully reconstructed portions of the vocal fold – a feat challenging to achieve with existing techniques. “I’m not a surgeon at all, and I have no training in it, and I was able to get pretty good results,” they stated.
Accuracy and Future Testing
While initial tests suggest that minor variations in precision do not considerably impact the final printed outcome, the team acknowledges the need for rigorous evaluation by experienced surgeons to determine the system’s true accuracy. Mariah Hahn, a professor of biomedical engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, who was not involved in the study, concurred, stating that surgical testing is essential to fully assess the device’s value, but also highlighted the potential of the engineering advancements.
Expanding the Applications of In-Body Bioprinting
The potential applications of this technology extend far beyond vocal cord surgery. Researchers envision adapting the bioprinter for use in a range of procedures, including those targeting the heart and liver. “Beyond delivering hydrogels to the vocal cords,the team could take the machine a lot of different routes,including testing it for other procedures in the heart or liver,” a researcher noted.
