https://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. A lightweight wearable device developed by UNSW engineers could one day help people monitor their heart and breathing health from home, potentially reducing hospital visits and allowing doctors to detect problems earlier. The flexible sensor patch, which attaches to the chest or over peripheral arteries using medical adhesive tape, is designed to continuously capture subtle vibrations produced by the heart, lungs, blood flow and pulse waves. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-tiny-patch-hospital-style-heart.html Tue, 09 Jun 2026 11:40:08 EDT news700223701 Tissue expansion is a common technique used in reconstructive surgery. Surgeons slowly stretch nearby skin to grow extra tissue that can be used to rebuild areas such as the ear, breast, or nose. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-custom-4d-implants-painful-path.html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 11:40:05 EDT news699617641 A new breakthrough technology, co-developed by UCL scientists, that simultaneously records and manipulates neuron activity deep within the brain could transform our understanding of neural circuits and neurological conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-tiny-brain-probe-reveals-deep.html Mon, 01 Jun 2026 11:06:16 EDT news699530701 Thanks to special 3D-printed scaffolding trays designed by experts at Cincinnati Children's, researchers can now produce larger versions of functional human gut organoids twice as fast as previous methods—and these organoids grow their own nerve cells. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-3d-trays-human-gut-organoids.html Fri, 22 May 2026 13:00:03 EDT news698673181 A new study suggests that breast implant complications are often not just mechanical events, but may be linked to slow biological changes in the surrounding (peri-implant) tissue over time. Researchers have found that microbial contamination and peri-implant inflammation are associated with higher complication rates, particularly implant rupture. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-silent-tissue-reactions-term-breast.html Wed, 06 May 2026 18:40:06 EDT news697303921 Researchers at NYU Abu Dhabi have developed soft, flexible sensors that help restore a surgeon's sense of touch during minimally invasive (keyhole) surgery. These procedures allow for faster recovery and less pain, but surgeons lose the ability to feel how much force they are applying through long instruments. This makes it harder to safely handle delicate tissue. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-smart-soft-sensors-surgeons-minimally.html Tue, 28 Apr 2026 18:10:07 EDT news696615601 A clinical trial investigating levels of plastic chemicals in the human body has found that a low-plastic diet could be a fast and effective way to reduce exposure. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-days-plastic-contact-slashes-phthalates.html Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:00:06 EDT news696069061 In a recent publication appearing in Advanced Science, researchers at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience challenge the assumptions surrounding the design and materials used for brain implants. Softer, flexible implants are gentler than older ones, but they are not completely harmless. By carefully studying these effects, researchers can begin to design safer implants, and bring long-term, reliable implants closer to reality. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-subtle-science-safer-brain-implants.html Thu, 16 Apr 2026 18:40:03 EDT news695576701 A natural compound made by Australian bees to seal their hives may help stop scarring in human skin after surgery, injury and burns, according to University of the Sunshine Coast researchers. The scientists say the laboratory finding has "immense potential" for future applications in people with scarring ranging from shallow and cosmetic to deep and debilitating, known as hypertrophic. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-australian-bee-scar-compound-scars.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 08:40:04 EDT news695461023 Melanoma is a deadly form of skin cancer that is typically removed surgically. Now, researchers publishing in ACS Nano report they have developed a potential noninvasive treatment for melanoma in the form of a stretchy, heat-activated patch similar to a bandage. When activated, the patch releases copper ions that kill the underlying cancer cells and prevent them from spreading. In tests with mice, the researchers say the patch reduced melanoma lesions without damaging surrounding tissue. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-skin-patch-melanoma-cells-surgery.html Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:20:05 EDT news694262881 Women who are treated with a mastectomy for breast cancer often choose to have surgery to reconstruct the breast using an implant. But hard, painful scar tissue can form around the implant, especially when women have radiotherapy as part of their treatment. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-breast-reconstruction-polyurethane-coated-implants.html Tue, 24 Mar 2026 19:10:06 EDT news693560762 Wearable ultrasound devices are actively used in various medical settings, including hospital diagnostics, rehabilitation monitoring, and telemedicine. However, most commercial devices currently rely on lead (Pb)-based piezoelectric ceramics, which are harmful to the human body and the environment, making it difficult to ensure both performance and safety. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-10-eco-friendly-silicon-patch-clearer.html Tue, 14 Oct 2025 13:00:03 EDT news679665601 An ETH spin-off, Swiss Vascular, has developed anatomically exact silicone models of cerebral vessels. Through this development, researchers will not only reduce the amount of animal experimentation required but also improve the standard of medical training for complex medical procedures. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-06-medicine-lifelike-silicone-cerebral-vasculature.html Mon, 16 Jun 2025 13:30:01 EDT news669296218 A study by an international research collaborative reports a stunning blood modification method that not only protects red blood cells for perfusion-based transplant organ cryostorage, but could make blood types cross-compatible and eventually enable blood transfusions between species. The breakthrough is reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and if the study's claims are borne out, this development could make a resounding impact in the clinic. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-08-silicon-exoskeletons-blood-cells-successfully.html Fri, 30 Aug 2024 12:24:45 EDT news644239472 An international research team led by RMIT University has designed and manufactured a virus-killing surface that could help control disease spread in hospitals, labs and other high-risk environments. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-03-team-silicon-spikes-virus-particles.html Wed, 27 Mar 2024 09:36:04 EDT news630750961 A research group led by Clemson University has developed a strategy to improve heart repair using human pluripotent stem cell–derived cardiomyocytes combined with biodegradable and biocompatible electroconductive silicon nanowires. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-08-heart-silicon-nanowires-stem-cell.html Thu, 10 Aug 2023 08:59:54 EDT news610876791 In people with epilepsy, seizure-alert dogs can smell small changes in body chemistry and warn of an impending seizure an hour or more before it occurs. Inspired by this feat of nature, a team of researchers has sniffed out a way to replicate the ability with technology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-06-silicon-nose-small-sensor-incipient.html Tue, 20 Jun 2023 13:47:23 EDT news606487640 Only six percent of women with silicone breast implants followed the previous US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommendation for regular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) screening, suggests a study in the August issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-07-patients-mri-screening-silicone-implant.html Wed, 27 Jul 2022 17:10:56 EDT news578160653 China's biggest tech hub is rushing to stamp out a fresh COVID outbreak, ordering some of the country's biggest manufacturers to operate in a 'closed loop' to reduce infections, state media reported. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-07-china-silicon-valley-tightens-covid.html Tue, 26 Jul 2022 09:52:15 EDT news578047933 A team of researchers from Purdue University and the University of Michigan, both in the U.S., working with colleagues from Hanyang University, Hongik University and the Kumoh National Institute of Technology, all in the Republic of Korea, has developed a type of contact lens with embedded nanoneedles for treating eye diseases. In their paper published in the journal Science Advances, the group describes how they made their contact lens and how well it worked when tested on rabbits. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-07-tear-soluble-contact-lens-silicon-nanoneedles.html Mon, 18 Jul 2022 10:41:55 EDT news577359703 Researchers from Skoltech and Sechenov University have 3D-printed and investigated the properties of samples of a porous iron-silicon alloy that the team considers promising for making implants for bone regeneration. The samples exhibited low toxicity, sturdiness, biodegradability, and signs they would accommodate bone growth. The study is published in Biomedical Materials. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-06-iron-silicon-alloy-implants-broken-bones.html Wed, 15 Jun 2022 09:01:13 EDT news574502469 Long-term use of implantable electronic medical devices—such as pacemakers and cochlear implants—is hampered by the body's reaction to foreign bodies. Now, in a study in mice, a team led by scientists at the University of Cambridge has shown that this reaction can be dramatically reduced by incorporating an anti-inflammatory drug into the silicone coating around the implant. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-03-drug-incorporated-silicone-coating-foreign.html Mon, 14 Mar 2022 15:00:06 EDT news566459666 A study by researchers at the Texas A&M University School of Public Health shows that inexpensive and convenient devices such as silicone wristbands can be used to yield quantitative air quality data, which is particularly appealing for periods of susceptibility such as pregnancy. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-07-silicone-wristbands-air-quality.html Fri, 23 Jul 2021 17:04:34 EDT news546278666 Bone density, skin and hair health, and the mobility of joints all depend, to a great extent, on the microelement silicon. We mostly get it with food, but the element can also be found in drinking water of a natural origin: usually, it is included in the compound of sodium salt and metasiliconic acid. However, in the case of microelements, one should be extremely careful: a deficiency could lead to diseases, but an overdose could also cause negative effects. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-07-silicon-irreversible-lung-pathologies-rodents.html Thu, 15 Jul 2021 11:16:35 EDT news545566584 Every year, about 400,000 people receive silicone breast implants in the United States. According to data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a majority of those implants needs to be replaced within 10 years due to the buildup of scar tissue and other complications. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-06-surfaces-silicone-breast-implants-affect.html Mon, 21 Jun 2021 11:00:04 EDT news543482209 Millions of children fail to reach their developmental potential worldwide, in part due to higher rates of exposure to current and legacy pollutants. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-07-silicone-wristbands-chemical-exposure-uruguayan.html Mon, 20 Jul 2020 11:25:40 EDT news514463135 Silicone molecules from breast implants can initiate processes in human cells that lead to cell death. Researchers from Radboud University have demonstrated this in a new study published on 12 June in Scientific Reports. "However, there are still many questions about what this could mean for the health effects of silicone breast implants. More research is therefore urgently needed," says Ger Pruijn, professor of Biomolecular Chemistry at Radboud University. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-06-silicones-cell-death.html Fri, 12 Jun 2020 10:24:24 EDT news511176261 When it fires, a neuron consumes significantly more energy than an equivalent computer operation. And yet, a network of coupled neurons can continuously learn, sense and perform complex tasks at energy levels that are currently unattainable for even state-of-the-art processors. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-06-silicon-neurons-dimension-processors.html Thu, 04 Jun 2020 09:07:03 EDT news510480415 It's the latest fad in Silicon Valley. By reducing the brain's feel-good chemical known as dopamine—cutting back on things like food, sex, alcohol, social media and technology – followers believe that they can "reset" the brain to be more effective and appreciate simple things more easily. Some even go so far as avoiding all social activities, and even eye contact. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-12-dopamine-fasting-expert-latest-craze.html Mon, 02 Dec 2019 07:00:02 EST news494491815 Young children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of tobacco smoke and other environmental toxins, but their exposure is often difficult and expensive to measure. The results of those measurements, however, can be crucial for research on the success of preventative measures. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-02-silicone-wristbands-effective-children-nicotine.html Thu, 14 Feb 2019 08:39:55 EST news469355989