Non-Surgical Removal of Partially Absorbable Bionic Implants

Bionic implants offer the potential to augment human performance and to assist the body in recovering functions lost to disease. While some may be permanently implanted, others provide temporary support. The challenge for the second case is how to remove the device from the body once its task is complete without forcing the patient to undergo a second surgical procedure. While some devices may be fabricated entirely from absorbable materials, this may not always be possible. This paper investigates a strategy in which an implant is fabricated from a combination of absorbable and non-absorbable materials with the latter connected by a tether to the skin. At the time of removal, the device is disassembled in situ such that the absorbable components can remain in place while the non-absorbable components can be removed non-surgically by pulling them out of the body by the tether. The concept is demonstrated in the context of an implant that induces bowel growth by applying traction forces over a several-week period. In vivo experiments in swine are used to validate the approach.