A Self-Powered Electrical Stimulation Suture for Muscle Tissue Repair in Rabbits
Sutures, as necessary medical devices for postoperative treatment, are no longer merely supportive but are required to have advanced functions to promote repair. Here, we report an absorbable self-powered electrical stimulation suture (SES-suture). The suture is composed entirely of absorbable materials (magnesium, polylactic acid, and polycaprolactone) and can be used in vivo for incision closure and repair. The suture has the capacity to generate spontaneous electrical stimulation in response to body movement, allowing for accelerated tissue reconstruction. An in vivo muscle incision repair model in rabbits demonstrated that the wound healing rate under treatment with this suture was 1.6 times faster than that of commercial sutures, proving its postoperative therapeutic capability. Immunofluorescence and quantitative analyses showed that SES-sutures significantly increased α-SMA and CD31 expression, with levels approximately 2.8 and 3.2 times higher than the blank group, respectively, indicating enhanced angiogenesis and muscle regeneration. The SES-suture exhibited excellent mechanical properties, sustained electrical output, structural and functional stability after implantation, and good biocompatibility. This large animal approach offers crucial translational evidence for potential human applications, addressing the limitations of rodent models due to differences in biomechanics and regeneration rates. While the biosafety profile requires further long-term evaluation, the findings strongly suggest that SES-sutures represent a promising therapeutic strategy for enhancing tissue regeneration and functional recovery.