Implantable Electronic Medicine Enabled by Bioresorbable Microneedles for Wireless Electrotherapy and Drug Delivery

A combined treatment using medication and electro-stimulation increases its effectiveness in comparison with one treatment alone. However, the organic integration of two strategies in one miniaturized system for practical usage has seldom been reported. This article reports an implantable electronic medicine based on bioresorb-able microneedle devices that is activated wirelessly for electro-stimulation and sustainable delivery of anti-inflammatory drugs. The electronic medicine is composed of a radio frequency wireless power transmission system and a drug-loaded microneedle structure, all fabricated with bioresorbable materials. In a rat skeletal muscle injury model, periodic electrostimulation regulates cell behaviors and tissue regeneration while the anti-inflammatory drugs prevent inflammation, which ultimately enhance the skeletal muscle regeneration. Finally, the electronic medicine is fully bioresorbable, excluding the second surgery for device removal.