Park Jae Young, Lim Jongcheon, Russell Carl R, Chen Pei-Lun, Eksioglu Deniz, Hong Seokkyoon, Mesa Juan C, Ward Matthew P, Lee Chi Hwan, Lee Hyowon
Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
Adv Healthc Mater. 2025 May;14(12):e2404189. doi: 10.1002/adhm.202404189. Epub 2025 Apr 2.
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a recognized treatment for neurological disorders, yet the surgical procedure carries significant risks. During the process of isolating or cuffing the vagus nerve, there is a danger of damaging the nerve itself or the adjacent carotid artery or jugular vein. To minimize this risk, here we introduce a novel hydrogel adhesive-integrated and stretchable microdevice that provides a less invasive, cuff-free option for interfacing with the vagus nerve. The device features a novel hydrogel adhesive formulation that enables crosslinking on biological tissue. The inclusion of kirigami structures within the thin-film microdevice creates space for uniform hydrogel-to-epineurium contact while accommodating the stiffness changes of the hydrogel upon hydration. Using a rodent model, we demonstrate a robust device adhesion on a partially exposed vagus nerve in physiological fluid even without the vagus nerve isolation and cuffing process. Our device elicted stable and clear evoked compound action potential (~1500 µV peak-to-peak) in C-fibers with a current amplitude of 0.4 mA. We believe this innovative platform provides a novel, less-risky approach to interface with fragile nerve and vascular structures during VNS implantation.
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