Patching wounds could be getting a dose of sci-fi tech, as the microMend gadget looks seal cuts without the need for stitches, staples or bandages.
Looking a little like a futuristic see-through plaster, the microMend Skin Closure Device, produced by Seattle startup KitoTech Medical, is made up of an adhesive strip and two arrays of ‘microstaples’ on either side.
When placed across a wound like a laceration, the microstaples grip the skin, supposedly painlessly, and the pull the skin on either side of the wound together, holding it in place until it fuses back together.
Offering the same tensile strength as stitches, the microMend can close wounds up to three times faster than stitches. And thanks to an even distribution of microstaples and tension provides a more effective barrier against infection. It also enables less inflammation and scaring to happen as the wound heals when compared to staples or sutures, which have to go through the skin surrounding a wound adding extra tissue damage.
The microMend Skin Closure Device has apparently been doing well in clinical trials, according to Medgadget, with 90% of patients reportedly preferring the microMend to stitches and other wound-binding techniques.
KitoTech Medical sees microMend being put to use on wounds in areas of cosmetic significance, such as the face, due to its scar-reducing abilities.
However, the startup isn’t narrowing down microMend’s use in other areas of medicine, such as being used with laparoscopic surgeries.
While it isn’t quite a healing ray or some other high-level sci-fi device, the mircoMend does demonstrate that healthcare will soon have a lot more tech-related tools to speed up recovery times and make life easier for clinicians and patients.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
