Swarming self-adhesive microgels enabled aneurysm on-demand embolization in physiological blood flow

The recent rise of swarming microrobotics offers great promise in the revolution of minimally invasive embo-lization procedure for treating aneurysm. However, targeted embolization treatment of aneurysm using micro robots has significant challenges in the delivery capability and filling controllability. Here, we develop interventional catheterization-integrated swarming microrobotic platform for aneurysm on-demand emboliza-tion in physiological blood flow. A pH-responsive self-healing hydrogel doped with magnetic and imaging agents is developed as the embolic microgels, which enables long-term self-adhesion under biological condi-tion in a controllable manner. The embolization strategy is initiated by catheter-assisted deployment of swarm-ing microgels, followed by the application of external magnetic field for targeted aggregation of microrobots into aneurysm sac under the real-time guidance of ultrasound and fluoroscopy imaging. Mild acidic stimulus applied to trigger the welding of microgels with satisfactory bio-/hemocompatibility and physical stability realize complete embolization. Our work presents a promising connection between the design and control microrobotic swarms toward practical applications in dynamic environments.

Automated summary

The recent rise of swarming microrobotics shows great potential in revolutionizing minimally invasive embolization procedures for treating aneurysms. However, there are significant challenges in targeted embolization treatment using micro robots, specifically in delivery capability and filling controllability. This study develops a swarming microrobotic platform integrated with interventional catheterization for on-demand embolization of aneurysms in physiological blood flow. A pH-responsive self-healing hydrogel containing magnetic and imaging agents is developed as embolic microgels, enabling long-term self-adhesion in a controllable manner. The embolization strategy involves catheter-assisted deployment of swarming microgels, followed by targeted aggregation of microrobots into the aneurysm sac under real-time ultrasound and fluoroscopy imaging guidance. Mild acidic stimulus is applied to trigger the welding of microgels, resulting in complete embolization with satisfactory bio-/hemocompatibility and physical stability. This work presents a promising advancement in the design and control of microrobotic swarms for practical applications in dynamic environments.