Biocompatible and Biodegradable Polymer Optical Fiber for Biomedical Application: A Review

This article discusses recent advances in biocompatible and biodegradable polymer optical fiber (POF) for medical applications. First, the POF material and its optical properties are summarized. Then, several common optical fiber fabrication methods are thoroughly discussed. Following that, clinical applications of biocompatible and biodegradable POFs are discussed, including optogenetics, biosensing, drug delivery, and neural recording. Following that, biomedical applications expanded the specific functionalization of the material or fiber design. Different research or clinical applications necessitate the use of different equipment to achieve the desired results. Finally, the difficulty of implanting flexible fiber varies with its flexibility. We present our article in a clear and logical manner that will be useful to researchers seeking a broad perspective on the proposed topic. Overall, the content provides a comprehensive overview of biocompatible and biodegradable POFs, including previous breakthroughs, as well as recent advancements. Biodegradable optical fibers have numerous applications, opening up new avenues in biomedicine.

Is Early Diagnosis of Foreign Body Aspiration Effective in Reducing Re-bronchoscopy in Children?

Background:Flexible Fiber-optic Bronchoscopy (FFB) is a diagnostic and therapeutic tool for respiratory diseases and evaluation. One of its major advantages is in the diagnosis and treatment of foreign body aspiration.Objectives:This study reports the indications, outcomes, and possible complications of FFB in patients suspected of foreign body aspiration diagnosis in the Iranian population.Methods:The data for this study was gathered from medical records of the patients in Children’s Medical Centre, which is a tertiary pediatric hospital affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), from August 2015 to February 2021.Results:Of the 358 FFBs that were performed for patients suspected of foreign body aspiration diagnosis, major indications included choking (158, 44.13%), coughing (157, 43.58%), wheezing (34, 9.49%), and stridor (6, 1.67%). Nuts were the most common foreign body that was removed among airways in these patients (116, 65.16%). In 15 (4.18%) cases the foreign object was extracted via re-bronchoscopy. The location of 130 foreign objects was identified which right bronchus (52, 40%), left bronchus (38, 29.23%), trachea (8, 6.15%), and carina (6, 4.61%). In 358 procedures that were performed, a total of 27 cases (7.54%) developed complications include hypoxia and laryngospasm. The mean interval from the first sign of choking and the admission of the child into the hospital was 44.43 days ± 10.88 (range: 1 to 1095 days, 95% CI: 22.87-65.99). There was a significant association between later days of admission and the necessity for re-bronchoscopy according to the logistic regression test (p-value=0.012).Conclusion:Our results show that by early diagnosis and hospitalization and so performing flexible fiber-optic bronchoscopy in an earlier time than foreign body aspiration can increase the number of successful procedures.

Flexible Fiber Membrane Based on Carbon Nanotube and Polyurethane with High Thermal Conductivity

The development of high thermally conductive polymer composites with low filler content remains challenging in the field of thermal interface materials (TIMs). Herein, we fabricated a series of flexible fiber membranes (TMMFM) with high thermally conductive based on thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and acidified multiwalled carbon nanotubes (a-MWCNTs) via electrospinning and ultrasonic anchoring method. The SEM and TEM results demonstrated that the a-MWCNTs aligned along the fiber orientation in the membrane and anchored on the membrane surface strongly, which can establish the heat conduction path both in the horizontal and vertical directions. With the incorporation of 10 wt% a-MWCNTs, the horizontal direction (λ∥) and vertical direction (λ⊥) thermal conductivity value of TMMFM-5 was 3.60 W/mK and 1.79 W/mK, respectively, being 18 times and 10 times higher compared to pure TPU fiber membranes. Furthermore, the TMMFM maintained favorable flexibility of the TPU matrix because the small amount of a-MWCNTs only slightly hinders the mobility of the TPU molecular chain. The performance of the obtained TMMFM unveils their potential as a promising choice of flexible TIMs.