Applications of Nanomaterials in Medical Procedures and Treatments

As an emerging technology, molecular imaging combines advanced imaging technology with cellular and molecular biology to highlight physiological or pathological processes in living organisms at the cellular level. The main advantage of in vivo molecular imaging is its ability to characterize pathologies of diseased tissues without invasive biopsies or surgical procedures. Such technology provides great hope for personalized medicine and drug development, as it can potentially detect diseases in early stages (screening), identify the extent of a disease/anomaly, help to apply directed therapy, or measure the molecular-specific effects of a given treatment. Molecular imaging requires the combination of high-resolution/sensitive instruments with targeted imaging agents that correlate the signal with a given molecular event. In ongoing preclinical studies, new molecular targets, which are characteristic of given diseases, have been identified, and as a consequence, sophisticated multifunctional probes are in perpetual development. In this context, the discovery of new emerging chemical technologies and nanotechnology has stimulated the discovery of innovative compounds, such as multimodal molecular imaging probes, which are multiplex systems that combine targeting moieties with molecules detectable by different imaging modalities. 

 Advanced approaches that can mimic the structure and function of natural tissue in tissue engineering applications that use multidisciplinary engineering approaches to repair damaged or dysfunctional tissues are fed forward by current engineering applications. Manipulating cells or cell groups in an integrated manner into the scaffold, similar to the native tissue composition, is the main challenge in these approaches. Synthetic biology approaches, originating from genetic engineering, based on the use of advanced tools in the manipulation of cells at the molecular level, are one of the most current issues in tissue engineering that shed light on the programming of cells. Synthetic biology tools allow the reprogramming of cells whose transcriptional, translational, or post-translational molecular mechanisms have been engineered by stimulating them with intrinsic or extrinsic signals. Combining these advanced and excellent tools from synthetic biology with materials engineering applications of tissue engineering is the latest fashion. This chapter discusses going beyond conventional tissue engineering applications, synthetic biological molecular tools, circuit designs that allow the complex behavior of cells to be manipulated with these tools, and approaches that enable the integration of these tools into the material component of tissue engineering

The use of prosthesis plays an important role in rehabilitation in the case of congenital absence or loss of an extremity. Apart from lower and upper extremity prostheses, there is a wide variety of prostheses used in different parts of the body. Unlike limb prostheses, these are permanently placed in the body by surgical intervention and are also called implants. New studies emerge every day in the development of innovative prostheses and implants. These innovations include material selection, new material development, control strategies, feedback system development, sensor and actuator development, power supply methods, and power equipment development work. Besides, many studies aim to increase user comfort as well as acceptance rate and the useful life of prostheses. Some researchers are working to develop prostheses exclusively for the use of children. Innovative developments in prostheses and implants are examined in this section. Developments are presented from various aspects, and information is given about the research that has made significant contributions to the field. As an example of technological development in prosthetics, an autonomic tumor prosthesis developed for children with bone cancer is introduced at the end of the section as a case study.

Ocular parasites cause serious vision-threatening diseases. An early diagnosis and effective treatment are crucial to avoid side effects, such as blindness or eye removal. The first important step in diagnosing ocular parasite infections is to suspect them. Diagnosis is aided by ophthalmic examination, direct parasite identification in clinical samples and/or pathological lesions, immunoassays, and molecular methods. Despite this, ocular parasite infection diagnosis is fraught with difficulties in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. The usage of nanoparticles may improve diagnosis by providing precise procedures for parasitic DNA, antigens, and antibodies detection in a variety of body specimens with fast, sensitive, and specific results. Low tolerability, long therapeutic duration, multiple adverse effects, and the emergence of medication resistance are all problems with existing anti-parasitic medications. Nanoparticles represent a promising way for the successful treatment of parasitic diseases by developing innovative drug carriers to target medications to infected sites while limiting high doses and adverse effects. They can also overcome the limitations of antiparasitic medications' low bioavailability, poor cellular permeability, non-specific distribution, and fast elimination from the body. The aim of the present chapter is to throw light on possible nanotechnology applications in ocular parasitic diseases caused by Toxoplasma gondii, Acanthamoeba spp. and Toxocara spp. with a focus on diagnosis, treatment, and vaccination. 

Cancer is a disease in which cells grow uncontrollably and spread to different tissues. Existing treatment methods developed for cancer do not allow this disease to be completely cured, and these methods have various side effects. The search for effective cancer treatment has encouraged scientists to produce new ideas with nanotechnological methods. With the help of nanotechnological methods, which are becoming more popular day by day, the material is reduced to nano size, where it shows quantum effect, and gains unique physicochemical, mechanical, and biological properties. Thanks to the large surface area of the nanocarriers, more drug loading can be achieved on the unit surface, and their easy modification procedures enable these materials to be conjugated with biological molecules to become more specific structures. Due to the several advantages of nanocarriers, such as different synthesis methods, being open to modification, and relatively easy production, these materials can provide effective delivery of cancer drugs and even increase their efficacy. Moreover, there are also many nanodrugs approved for different routes of administration. Thanks to all these features, nanocarriers are promising ways to develop new drug formulations for cancer treatment. In this chapter, the anticancer activity of nanocarriers synthesized by different methods is clarified. Besides, the effects of the nanocarriers on different types of cancer, the targeting strategies of nanocarriers, and the effects of their size, surface charge, and shape, on their anticancer activity are summarized.

Despite the great medical developments, cancer remains the main cause of death amongst individuals under 85 years. Novel therapeutic approaches for cancer therapy are constantly being developed, and bioactive ceramics show great promise in this respect. Bioceramics contain inorganic components, which help in the repair, replacement, and regeneration of human cells; for that reason, their use is growing in scope. Bioceramics have a flexible nature and can be modified with biologically active substances for a particular treatment or improvement of tissue or organ functionality. Materials, including glass-ceramics and calcium phosphate, can be loaded with specific drugs, growth factors, peptides, and hormones in a particular fashion. Also, for the elimination of infections and inflammations after surgery, the surface of bioceramics can be modified, and antibiotics can be introduced to prevent bacterial biofilm formation. In the context of bone cancer diagnosis and treatment, mesoporous bioceramics have demonstrated excellent properties not only for being osteoinductive and osteoconductive but also for drug delivery, therefore, being rendered as a remarkable platform for the creation of bone tissue engineering scaffolds for the purpose of bone cancer treatment. Furthermore, the creation of ceramic magnetic nanoparticles as thermoseeds for hyperthermia exhibits promising development for cancer treatment. The conjugation of ceramic nanoparticles with therapeutic agents and heat treatment via different magnetic fields improve the efficacy of hyperthermia to the extent that it makes them an alternative to chemotherapy. This chapter discusses the therapeutic value of bioceramics. 

 Advanced materials and processing techniques are the backbone of the smart industry. The smart industry could not be run without a furnish of raw materials. Further, the raw materials could become advanced materials by employing good processing technology. Owing to this, new advanced materials exhibit compelling properties and applications in various fields. In the present chapter, we have provided insight into the current development of advanced materials comprising different fabrication methodologies and their incorporation with nanofillers, as well as their advanced processing techniques. Moreover, advanced materials’ applications have been emphasized in different fields, like tissue engineering, biomedical, agriculture sector, and pesticides. 

Regulators of medical devices in the world regulate global competition in the medical device sector, and on the other hand, they play a decisive role in security, performance, and access issues. Technological development has also increased in the medical device industry, and medical devices have become more important in the diagnosis and treatment of health services. However, it is important that legal regulations must be implemented correctly and effectively in order to prevent public health or unethical behaviors. In this context, the regulations of the United States of America (USA) and the European Union (EU), the leaders in the sector, along with their high markets are discussed. In addition, medical device regulations in Japan, China, and Brazil, which have an important position in technological development and competition and have high potential, are also included. Considering the urgency and possible consequences of healthcare services, it is necessary to consider the fund and the regulations of the medical device sector separately in individual, national and global dimensions, from macro to micro. In addition to the safety, cost, and effectiveness of medical devices, it is important to discuss the conformity assessment, approval system processes, and how long it takes for a medical device to be put on the market. Considering the rapid technology change, regulations should be made to carry out the licensing and approval processes effectively and quickly in medical device regulations.