New Device Inspired by Python Teeth Doubles Strength of Rotator Cuff Repairs Columbia University team uses biomimicry to create a device that may reduce the risk of rotator cuff re-tearing in patients. Newswise — New York, NY—June 24, 2024—Most people, when they think about pythons, visualize the huge snake constricting and swallowing victims whole. But did you know that pythons initially hold onto their prey with their sharp, backward-curving teeth? Medical researchers have long been aware that these teeth are perfect for grasping soft tissue rather than cutting through it, but no one has yet been able to put this concept into surgical practice.
Over the years, mimicking these teeth for use in surgery has been a frequent topic of discussion in the lab of Dr. Stavros Thomopoulos , a professor of orthopedics and biomedical engineering at Columbia University. Biomimicry key to new study A leading researcher focused on the development and regeneration of the tendon-to-bone attachment, Thomopoulos is particularly interested in advancing tendon-to-bone repair, necessary for rotator cuff repair and anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.
In a paper published today by Science Advances , his team reports that they have developed a python-tooth-inspired device as a supplement to current rotator cuff suture repair, and found that it nearly doubled repair strength. “As we grow older, more than half of us will experience a rotator cuff tear leading to shoulder pain and decreas.