Strategy for haptic-based guidance of soft magnetic particles in the cochlea

In this study, a novel magnetic guidance-based drug delivery approach for the inner ear is proposed. The approach incorporates a soft microparticle navigation strategy to promote biocompatibility and mitigate corrosion risks. To avoid damage to the round window membrane, a magnetic diffusion method based on particle chain formation was implemented. This chainlets, once inside the cochlea, form a particle bolus under the presence of a converging magnetic, which was guided within the cochlear canal to the target area. The guidance procedure was controlled through a haptic telemanipulation device. The particle diffusion method through the RWM was tested in an in-silico model as no realistic model to mimic the RWM exists. However, the demonstration of chainlet formation was experimentally achieved. In-vitro evaluations were conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method, including the guidance performance of the particle bolus within a human-scale artificial cochlea. These findings lay the foundation for the potential integration of this innovative solution into clinical practice.