Current status of nanomedicine and nanosurgery

Abstract

Nanotechnology is a multidisciplinary field that covers a vast and diverse array of devices derived from physics, biology, engineering, and chemistry. Applications of nanotechnology to medicine and physiology imply materials and devices designed to interact with the body at subcellular (i.e., molecular) scales with a high degree of specificity. There is considerable useful information about nanotechnology available and already in use. However, at present, it is very incomplete and scattered. We realized many doctors are unaware of nanotechnology used during surgery and its future prospects in patients. Though most medical products that use nanotechnology are still in the research and development stage, there are a few which are commercially available. Nanotechnology has grown by leaps and bounds over the last few years; applications of this technology in the field of medicine and surgery have been an important spin-off. Many biological structures are at nanometer scale used by surgeons in orthopedic, dental, and neurosurgeries. This article starts with the basics of the nanotechnology and how it is utilized through most medical products. This important article, which is felt to offer high educational value for the doctors, have been selected from an extensive search on the internet, and elaborately discussed. In this review, the scientific and technical aspects of nanotechnology are introduced, and some of its potential clinical applications are discussed.

The Efficacy of Tranexamic Acid Versus Epsilon Amino Caproic Acid in Decreasing Blood Loss in Patients Undergoing Mitral Valve Replacement Surgery

“…The armamentarium to control bleeding includes careful surgical dissection, meticulous haemostasis and pharmacological management with new generation antifibrinolytic agents. From nanotechnology, there is only one step to nanomedicine, which may be defined as the monitoring, repair, construction, and control of human biological systems at the molecular level, using engineered nanodevices and nanostructures [7].…”

Tailoring of physicochemical properties of nanocarriers for effective anti‐cancer applications

“…In the year 2012, out of 14.1 million cases of cancer reported worldwide, 8.2 million people died, which attributed to 4.6% of all human deaths that year period . The concept of cancer and its available treatments are a subject of numerous reviews, which captures the treatment of cancer with various chemotherapeutic agents and the consequent toxicity effects . Depending on the type of genetic mutation in a cell, cancer formed can either be malignant or benign.…”

“…Nanotechnology has received widespread attention not only due to their ability to carry drugs but also due to its ability for early detection by effectively imaging cancer cells and is helping the medical fraternity to revolutionize cancer treatment . Nanocarriers can be designed to have specific compositions and properties to transport drug moieties to the tumor vasculature, with great specificity toward cancer cells, which ensures that the neighboring healthy cells remain unaffected . Nanocarriers' primary responsibility is to carry the drugs to the targeted sites, and various examples cited in this review highlights the ability to control this drug release kinetics, by tailoring the physicochemical properties of the nanocarriers.The level of drug released influences the drug level in the blood, which should be between the minimum effective concentration and the minimum toxic concentration.…”

“…2 The concept of cancer and its available treatments are a subject of numerous reviews, which captures the treatment of cancer with various chemotherapeutic agents and the consequent toxicity effects. [1][2][3][4][5][6] Depending on the type of genetic mutation in a cell, cancer formed can either be malignant or benign. The various proteins produced as a consequence of these mutations affect and activate various cellular pathways.…”

“…9,10 Nanocarriers can be designed to have specific compositions and properties to transport drug moieties to the tumor vasculature, with great specificity toward cancer cells, which ensures that the neighboring healthy cells remain unaffected. 4,5 Nanocarriers' primary responsibility is to carry the drugs to the targeted sites, and various examples cited in this review highlights the ability to control this drug release kinetics, by tailoring the physicochemical properties of the nanocarriers.The level of drug released influences the drug level in the blood, which should be between the minimum effective concentration and the minimum toxic concentration. Therefore, two aspects become prominent: first the circulation time of nanoparticles in blood, overcoming biological barriers and second the interaction between the drug and nanocarriers themselves.…”