Gel implant to relieve back pain

A biomaterial implant developed at the University of Manchester could finally bring treatment for chronic lower back pain – in the form of a simple jab

The team have developed an injectable microgel fluid – a poly(methylmethacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) copolymer – which can restore the mechanical properties of damaged intervertebal disc.

The team – led by Dr Brian Saunders from the school of materials – have been working with these swellable nanoscopic polymer particles for years. Their recent breakthrough has allowed them to link microgel particles together to form an injectable durable, elastic gel capable of sustaining large permanent changes in shape without breaking.

“Our team has made a breakthrough through innovative materials design that brings the prospect of an injectable gel for treating degeneration of the intervertebral disc a step closer,” said Saunders.

“We refined the gel by including chemical groups that have enabled chemical crosslinking of the microgel particles,” Saunders told Laboratory News. “This has resulted in a mechanically stable gel that forms after injection. That is the breakthrough that opens up possibilities for future application in repair of IVDs (after clinical trials). Now we can transform a fluid to a gel through injection.”

These improved injectable gels have better mechanical properties than previous generations, and should now display the necessary long-term durability required for an implanted device.

“Degeneration of the intervertebral disc results in chronic back pain which costs the country billions of pounds per annum and causes untold misery for sufferers and their families,” said co-author Professor Tony Freemont.