(489f) Flame-Made Fluorescent Nanothermometers Enable Superior Control in Laser Tissue Soldering

Laser tissue soldering offers a promising departure from traditional sutures and staples by employing laser light in conjunction with a specialized adhesive material known as solder paste. This innovative surgical technique forms robust watertight bonds, primarily using protein-based adhesives. Its adaptability for minimally invasive procedures presents distinct advantages over conventional methods, which are often challenging to execute in such settings and can lead to complications like inflammation, infection, and fluid leakage, particularly in delicate tissues such as blood vessels, nerves, and the intestine.

However, the efficacy of laser tissue soldering heavily relies on precise temperature control throughout the procedure. Our research introduces a novel approach to this challenge, employing controlled laser tissue soldering guided by fluorescent nanothermometers. These flame-made nanoparticles, seamlessly integrated into protein-based solders, offer non-invasive temperature monitoring. As a significant advancement towards more precise and less invasive soldering techniques, we demonstrate temperature distribution measuring and fluorescence guidance of the soldering process for high-performance outcomes. This is made possible by incorporating an intelligent solder paste containing near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent nanothermometers and nanoabsorbers like titanium nitrate nanoparticles.

Furthermore, our work includes various strategies to guide surgery by analyzing the temperature distribution based on nanothermometry and fluorescence during soldering, thus optimizing results.