Nanobots offer new method for treating brain bleeds

These magnetic nanobots, about a twentieth the size of a red blood cell, have been created in partnership with researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University. They are capable of travelling through blood vessels and delivering targeted medical treatments directly to affected areas in the brain.

How nanobots treat brain aneurysms

Brain aneurysms are bulging, weakened sections of an artery in the brain, and if they rupture, they can cause catastrophic brain bleeds. Traditionally, treating aneurysms involves invasive procedures where microcatheters are inserted into the brain to place coils or stents in the damaged artery. However, this method carries risks, including the body rejecting the implants, along with prolonged surgery and potential complications from the required blood-thinning drugs.

Nanobot technology promises a more precise, less invasive alternative. In laboratory trials, billions of these tiny robots, loaded with blood-clotting agents, were injected into an artery and guided to the aneurysm site using magnets and medical imaging. Once they reached the aneurysm, the nanobots were heated via external magnetic fields to release the clotting drugs, stopping or preventing bleeding from the aneurysm.

This approach not only reduces the risk of complications but also eliminates the need for time-consuming navigation of catheters through the complex network of brain vessels, which can take hours in traditional procedures. According to the research, the nanobots have been successfully tested in rabbits and lab models, marking a step towards future human trials​.

Nanobot technology is part of a growing movement in medical robotics, where tiny machines are used to perform precise tasks inside the human body with a high degree of accuracy. The ability to remotely control these bots using magnets or other external means reduces the need for invasive surgery, offering less risk and quicker recovery times for patients. Moreover, because the nanobots release their payloads only at the desired location, they minimise the chance of drugs leaking into other parts of the body, improving safety​.

Advances in medical robotics

Medical robotics has come a long way, from robotic arms that assist surgeons in removing tumours, to devices that can help navigate difficult areas within the body, robots are becoming increasingly integral to modern medicine.

The nanobots developed by the University of Edinburgh and its partners build on this foundation, taking robotics to the microscopic level. Dr Qi Zhou, a lead researcher, explains that nanorobots have the potential to transform medicine by enabling surgical procedures with reduced risks compared to conventional methods, while also allowing for precise drug delivery to difficult-to-reach areas of the body.

While still in its early stages, the successful use of nanobots in lab models and animal trials is a step closer to a future where these tiny robots could change the way we treat not just brain bleeds, but a range of other medical conditions.

A glimpse into the future

As research progresses, these tiny machines could be designed to handle a variety of medical tasks, such as repairing damaged tissue or delivering highly targeted treatments to cancer cells. As with the University of Edinburgh’s study, the ability to precisely control where and when these nanobots act can transform how we approach treatment for complex conditions.

While human trials are still on the horizon, the early successes of nanobot technology provide a glimpse into a future where surgery is less invasive, recovery times are shorter, and treatments are more effective. Who knows, nanobots could very well be at the heart of the next major leap in medical science.