A team of scientists at the University of Texas at Arlington used mathematical modeling to develop a computer simulation that they hope will one day improve the treatment of dangerous reactions to medical implants such as stents, catheters, and artificial joints.
The results from their computational model of foreign-body reactions to implants were consistent with biological models in lab tests. They explained that they have transformed complex and dynamic biological interactions and pathways into a simplified mathematical formula. This model will allow them to improve the biocompatibility of medical devices and identify the timing and dosages of treatments when reactions occur.
While almost all medical implants cause some degree of foreign body reaction, which can cause severe inflammation and the formation of fibrotic capsules in surrounding tissue, the reaction’s severity is governed in large part by the behavior of microphages, which rapidly change in response to signals from the body and its immune system.
They plan to continue their research by addressing some of the biological conditions unique in patients that could affect wound healing and foreign body interactions. Those calculations could make their model more reliable, they said.
