Scientist’s find may take the sting out of needles
TAIPEI, Taiwan – A local professor on Friday unveiled a needle coated with a thin film of metallic glass that he said would ease the pain of being pricked with a needle in various medical applications in the future.
The thin film of metallic glass can decrease the friction between the needle and the skin by 80 percent and thus reduce pain, said Chu Jinn, a professor with the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at National Taiwan University of Science and Technology.
The metallic glass can also protect the needle from wearing out. Experiments found that a needle coated with metallic glass does not turn blunt even after being used 10 times, Chu said.
At present, lubricants are usually used to reduce the friction of needles intended for one-time use, but such a method is not ideal for needles to be used multiple times, he said.
Metallic glass-coated needles are ideal for use more than once, such as those for micro-cosmetic surgery, anesthesia and surgical stitches, he said, predicting that the new needles could be put on the market after two to three years of testing on humans. – The China Post
Category: Features, Technology & Devices
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