A CHINESE research team has developed a novel magnetic fluid material and proposed a liquid-based technical system for left atrial appendage occlusion of the heart.

They address the core challenges in left atrial appendage thrombus therapy for the first time, marking a transition of left atrial appendage occlusion technology from “solid adaptation” to a new stage of “complete fluidic sealing.”

Left atrial appendage thrombus is a common complication in patients with atrial fibrillation. Once a thrombus occurs, the risk of stroke in patients will increase.

This study, published in Nature recently, was led by a team from the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (SIAT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Fuwai Hospital under the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. It achieved long-term thrombus-free occlusion of the left atrial appendage.

According to the research team, this new occlusion technology integrates magnetic particles and in-situ curable carrier fluids into a new controllable robotic form: magnetofluids, which are deformable robots that can be remotely controlled by external magnetic fields.

After entering the body, the magnetofluids with a volume of approximately 2.5 ml can flow into complex and narrow spaces like liquids and adaptively fill irregular cavities. Meanwhile, they can be guided and stably controlled by external magnetic fields.

“The application of magnetofluids makes use of external magnetic fields and its own adaptive shaping capabilities,” said Xu Tiantian from SIAT, one of the corresponding authors.

Pan Xiangbin, another corresponding author from Fuwai Hospital, said that the study provides a safer and longer-lasting stroke prevention strategy for patients with atrial fibrillation, reducing the risk of secondary surgery and medical costs.

The research team will further explore the formation mechanism and its longer-term safety, and promote the translation of this new magnetic fluid into clinical applications.

The researchers said the new system could also open up fresh possibilities for other minimally invasive treatments, especially in areas where conventional devices struggle to fit or seal complex anatomical structures. (Xinhua)