A bioabsorbable microclip for laryngeal microsurgery: Design and evaluation

Epithelial flaps created during laryngeal microsurgery require apposition to facilitate proper healing. Current technologies are restricted by minimal access of the surgical site, posing various limitations in application. In this paper, we propose a novel magnesium-based bioabsorbable microclip, discuss our design considerations and evaluate the microclip's feasibility as a miniature wound closure device. Ex vivo experiments demonstrate that the microclip fastens securely to the vocal fold, while in vivo studies show bioabsorbability and a lack of adverse side effects, suggesting that the microclips are viable as implantable devices. (C) 2012 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.