A team of scientists in Boston developed a way to fix holes in the heart without having to do any invasive surgery. They created a catheter fixed with biodegradable glue and patch that can be entered inside a patient’s veins and guided directly into the heart. Once there, it uses a reflective balloon and UV light to apply and activate its adhesive coating, effectively sealing the hole without any open heart surgery. The patch then allows the heart tissue to create its own closure and when it’s no longer needed, it simply dissolves. The technology could possibly also be used for other wounds inside the body.
New UV-light enabled catheter to fix holes in heart without operation
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