Implantable Microfluidic Device: An Epoch of Technology

Abstract

: Implantable microfluidic devices are milestones in developing devices that can either measure parameters like ocular pressure and blood glucose level or deliver various components for therapeutic needs or behavioral modification. Researchers are currently focusing on the miniaturization of almost all its tools for a better healthcare platform. Implantable microfluidic devices are a combination of various systems including, but not limited to, microfluidic platforms, reservoirs, sensors, and actuators, implanted inside the body of a living entity (in vivo) with the purpose of directly or indirectly helping the entity. It is a multidisciplinary approach with immense potential in the area of the biomedical field. Significant resources are utilizing on for the research and development of these devices for various applications. The induction of an implantable microfluidic device into an animal would enable us to measure the responses without any repeated invasive procedures. Such data would help in the development of a better drug delivery profile. Implantable microfluidic devices with reservoirs deliver specific chemical or biological products to treat situations like cancers and diabetes. They can also deliver fluorophores for specific imaging inside the body. Implantable microfluidic devices help provide a microenvironment for various cell differentiation procedure. These devices know no boundaries, and this article reviews these devices based on their design and applications.

Advancements in Wearable and Implantable Intraocular Pressure Biosensors for Ophthalmology: A Comprehensive Review

“…The EYEMATE (Implandata Ophthalmic Products GmbH, Hannover, Germany) is the most common implantable IOP biosensor and exists either as an intraocular sensor, the EYEMATE-IO, or a suprachoroidally placed sensor, the EYEMATE-SC [124,125,133]. There are several other implantable IOP biosensors currently in various stages of development and/or testing [124,126,128,131,136,139,140,155,173,[181][182][183][184]. Specifically, implantable IOP biosensors have been studied in the context of concurrent non-penetrating glaucoma surgery (NPGS) [125,133,169], minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) [169], and selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) [146].…”

“…An emerging application of IOP biosensors are as platforms for intraocular drug delivery [114,149,153,180,182,[187][188][189]. Kim and colleagues [180] report a novel gold hollownanowire-based wearable IOP biosensor design with integrated drug delivery functionality.…”

Implantable microfluidics: methods and applications

“…9,10 The manipulation and control of small volumes of fluids within microscale channels and chambers, known as microfluidic functionalities, play a vital role in the development of various implantable devices. [11][12][13] For instance, microfluidic systems enable precise control over drug release and dosage within these devices. By utilizing microfluidic channels and valves, the flow rate and timing of drug delivery can be finely adjusted.…”