A new technology shows promise in using microscopic bubbles filled with oxygen to help wounds heal faster.
The method would allow doctors to inject oxygen “nanobubbles” intravenously so they can target wounds or cancerous tumors with precision.
The bubbles enhance the delivery of other therapies, said Pushpak Bhandari, founder of Samara Biotech, a start-up affiliated with Purdue University.
“It’s an oxygen delivery system at its core that can be applied toward many diseased states,” Bhandari said in a press release. “Oxygen is critical in almost every biological process, so this helps in a variety of ways.”
Bhandari believes the oxygen nanobubbles could be particularly effective against diseases that strike fat and blood vessels.
“The ability to precisely steer oxygen nanobubbles offers considerable promise for a wide range of biomedical applications,” Bhandari explained.
Early testing published in the journals Nature Scientific Reports and ACS Nano shows that the oxygen nanobubbles can delay tumor progression and improve survival rates in clinical trials, researchers said.
From the June 01, 2018 Issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News
