3D-printed hydrogel penile implants have restored erections in pigs and rabbits for the first time. The intervention increased the animals' chances of successfully conceiving offspring from 25 to 100 percent. Researchers hope the technology will also help men with erectile dysfunction, which impairs their quality of life and reduces their chances of having children. Research published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering.
To correct these erectile dysfunctions, men often have part of their corpus cavernosum or its sheath removed, which leads to a shrinking of the organ. Implants have long been proposed to replace the removed tissue, but it has not yet been possible to create a material that is biocompatible and can withstand pressure in the penis. Therefore, scientists from the South China University of Technology, together with colleagues from Japan and the United States, have developed a hydrogel implant that is both quite flexible and strong.
The researchers first studied models of erectile dysfunction and Peyronie's disease to develop a model of the corpus cavernosum with blood vessels inside. They then injected endothelial cells, which line the blood vessels from the inside and stimulate their growth, into 3D-printed biodegradable hydrogel implants. These hydrogel implants were then inserted into the penises of male rabbits and pigs with erectile dysfunction, which was induced by artificially damaging their corpus cavernosum.
As it turned out, the introduction of such implants with endothelial cells not only restored the normal structure of the penis, but also improved erectile function both after electrical stimulation and during spontaneous erection. Their ability to achieve erection approached that of healthy animals, while those that were injected with only hydrogel had worse performance. In addition, the introduction of hydrogel together with endothelial cells reduced inflammation at the surgical site and accelerated the replacement of the hydrogel with healthy tissue of the corpus cavernosum.
Sixteen weeks after surgery, four rabbits gave birth to pups from males with implants and five from males without erectile dysfunction. Meanwhile, in the control group of males with erectile dysfunction without intervention, only one rabbit gave birth to pups. In the group of male pigs with erectile dysfunction without intervention, only 16 percent of the females became pregnant, while the introduction of the hydrogel implant increased the chances of fertilization to 25 percent, and the implant with endothelial cells - to 75 percent.
How will hydrogel penis transplant technology be used?
Because hydrogel implants with endothelial cells have helped restore erectile function even in large mammals such as pigs, scientists hope they will be durable enough to be used in humans.
However, they note that such implants will most likely find application in the treatment of pathologies associated with damage to the corpus cavernosum. When pathologies arise due to damage to the nerves in the penis or obstruction of the urethra, additional modifications to the hydrogel may be required. These include, for example, the addition of stem cells or substances to stimulate the growth of not only blood vessels, but also connective tissue and nerves.
Previously, the same team of scientists created a hydrogel that replaced the protein lining of the corpus cavernosum in pigs after injury, which allowed them to restore normal erections.
Thank you for being with us! Monobank for the support of the ElitExpert editorial office.
