Middle ear effusion in children can lead to Otitis Media. Some patients need to insert a middle ear catheter to drain the effusion. However, when the catheter is placed in the eardrum for a prolonged period, the secretions in the ear will eventually accumulate a bacterial film around it, which can become a cause of repeated infections. An interdisciplinary research team at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has developed a “magnetically controlled spiral microrobot” system, which can quickly and effectively remove the bacterial membrane of the ear canal catheter to effectively prevent the infection from getting worse.
Dr. Chang Wai-tsz, Assistant Professor of the Department of ENT, Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK, pointed out that patients with otitis media who have been implanted with catheters need to use ear drops containing antibiotics for a long time to inhibit the growth of bacterial membranes. Sooner or later, that may develop bacterial resistance against further ear drop applications, and the situation will get worse and worse. In the worst case, if the biofilm happens to block the catheter, the patient will need to undergo anaesthesia surgery to remove or replace the catheter. In general, the catheter needs to be replaced frequently by way of surgery, which increases the pain of the patient and brings about the burden of repeated medical expenses….