초록 |
Injection of bulking agents is one of the surgical treatments for fecal incontinence, in which patients cannot control bowel movements. Because of the injectable properties, bulking agents are minimally invasive, hence they have a simple procedure and a low risk of complications. However, the high injection pressure of commercial bulking agents sometimes makes it difficult for surgeons to perform the correct procedure. Although high-pressure gun-type injecting devices are used as an aid in clinical cases, optimizing the type and size of filler materials in bulking agents remains fundamental to the successful treatment. In this study, the filler materials of polydimethylsiloxane were fabricated by both suspension-based and microfluidic techniques for variable sizes and dispersity. The injectability was investigated by compression testing and it is confirmed that size and uniformity affect the injectable properties of bulking agents. |