Sutures and stitches may one day be replaced by a new nanoparticle-based surgical adhesive solution able to repair soft-tissue organs and tissues. The adhesive solution, which can contain either silica or iron oxide nanoparticles, will be applied to both sides of the incision. The edges of the incision will then be pushed together, prompting the nanoparticles to bond with both the tissue's molecular makeup and each other. The entire process will take only seconds, and the...

The new knotless tissue control devices will allow surgeons to stitch and secure tissues without needing to tie knots in the sutures. The devices will be lined with barbs, which will be spaced 1mm apart and form a spiral along length of the string. The barbs will help maintain the tension in the suture while also providing anchor points that will eliminate the need to tie knots, thus allowing surgeons to close wounds more rapidly and reduce the amount of time patients are under...