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Engineers have found a way to eliminate the buildup of scar tissue around implantable devices, by coating them with a hydrogel adhesive. The material binds the device to tissue and prevents the immune system from attacking the device.
When medical devices such as pacemakers are implanted in the body, they usually provoke an immune response that leads to buildup of scar tissue around the implant. This scarring, known as fibrosis, can interfere with the devices function and may require them to be removed.
MIT engineers found a way to eliminate the buildup of scar tissue around implantable devices, by coating them with a hydrogel adhesive. The material binds the device to tissue and prevents the immune system from attacking the device.