As bacteria get more resistant to antibiotics, researchers need to get more creative to clear them out. Researchers from the Tufts University and UIUC have definitely done that with a
chip implant
that can kill a localized staph infection with heat, then dissolve
away. It consists of a silk substrate with a magnesium heating element
that's activated by a wireless transmitter, raising the temperature
enough to kill surrounding bacteria. The treatment time can be
controlled for different applications, and the whole thing is reabsorbed
into your body in a couple of weeks.
It worked well clearing staph infections in mice, but the simplicity
makes it promising for humans too. The researchers see the chip as a
perfect way to check post-surgery infections by implanting it in a
patient's body prior to suturing him up. A couple of weeks later, no
more infection and no more chip.
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