Additive manufactured self-powered mechanoelectric sensor as the artificial nucleus pulposus for monitoring tissue rehabilitation after discectomy

The capability to monitor the mechanical forces on the intervertebral disc (IVD) after discectomy could develop personalized rehabilitation strategies to benefit the patients ' healthy recovery. However, traditional nucleus pulposus (NP) substitutes are mainly hydrogels which can only physically fill the defect after discectomy without sense the mechanical stress. Here we demonstrate an additive manufactured NP substitute (AMNPS) that can sense the mechanical stress in the IVD with a self-powered capacity. When the AMNPS suffers the stress from the spine bending, the mechanical energy can be converted into electrical signal by the AMNPS and the whole mechanical sensing process is self-powered. To illustrate the capabilities of the AMNPS, we use it to monitor the spine bending of a goat in vivo, illustrating the potential application of the device to monitor the tissue rehabilitation after discectomy.

Automated summary

The study demonstrates an additive manufactured nucleus pulposus substitute (AMNPS) that can sense mechanical stress in the intervertebral disc and has self-powered capacity. Through in vivo experiments on goats, the potential application of the device for monitoring tissue rehabilitation after discectomy is illustrated.