Giant feat in microrobot-aided treatment

Chinese University has developed a magnetic microrobot to treat ear infections.

Otitis media is a common health problem among children that causes fluid to accumulate in the middle ear. Some patients with fluid in the middle ear need to insert a tympanostomy tube to help extract the fluid.

However, as the tube is placed in the tympanic membrane for a long period of time, the secretions from the ear can form a bacterial biofilm that can block the tube and even cause recurring infections.

To help solve this, a research team from CUHK developed a magnetic helical microrobot with endoscope-assisted delivery to take away the biofilm.

The novel treatment has been successfully performed on a volunteer.

Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering professor Zhang Li is hopeful about the procedure being made available to the public after going through more safety tests.

Zhang said the microrobot is relatively low in cost and is able to treat patients in a painless manner.