Researchers develop a small implant cooler that cools nerves directly

As a method of relieving pain, 'applying a cold object to the part where you feel pain' is one of the very simple methods. Using this mechanism, researchers have developed a new type of implantable device that 'cools the nerves' to relieve pain.

Soft, bioresorbable coolers for reversible conduction block of peripheral nerves

Miniature, Implantable Nerve Coolers for Targeted Pain Relief --Neuroscience News
https://neurosciencenews.com/colling-pain-implant-20957/

Analgesic nerve cooling is a method to temporarily relieve pain by blocking the conduction of pain signals by directly cooling the nerves, just like applying ice when joints and muscles hurt, to relieve pain such as nerve transplantation. It is expected to be an effective and reversible method.

However, conventional nerve cooling devices are bulky and hard, and even if they are cooled, they do not always have a significant effect and require a large amount of electric power, which has hindered their practical application in clinical practice.

In addition, opioid analgesics are often relied on for the management of chronic pain (chronic pain ), but opioids are effective but highly dependent and can lead to death, so they are topical and non-opioid. The development of non-addictive alternatives is fascinating.

Researchers at the University of Oregon, Dalian University of Technology, and Northwestern University have developed flexible, compact implant coolers. The cooler created by the research team is based on the design of a cuff-type electrode that wraps around the nerve, and is equipped with a microfluidic channel containing a bioinactive coolant instead of electrical wiring. The temperature is monitored in real time by a sensor, enabling closed- loop control .

In an experiment with rats, it was said that local cooling was successful, and Shan Jiang and Guosong Hong, who worked on the research, said, 'Implant cooling device with local analgesia function is a game changer for long-term pain management. It will be. '

This study is expected to be a promising path for developing non-opioid, long-term pain management devices.