Needle-Free Shock Syringe:
Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay have developed a shockwave-based, needle-free syringe that ensures painless drug delivery, reducing skin damage and the risk of infection.
- The shock syringe uses high-energy shockwaves to deliver drugs through the skin without the need for needles, offering a painless alternative to traditional injections.
- A shockwave is a pressure wave that moves faster than sound through a medium like air, water, or solids. It forms when an object or force causes a rapid pressure change, traveling through the surrounding environment.
- The device consists of three sections: driver, driven, and drug holder, which create a shockwave-driven microjet for drug delivery.
- The shock syringe is designed with a micro shock tube that uses pressurized nitrogen gas to create a microjet of liquid drug, which travels faster than sound to penetrate the skin.
- The shock syringe demonstrated effective delivery of drugs in rats, with deeper tissue penetration and minimal skin damage compared to regular needles.
- The shock syringe could speed up immunization drives like Mission Indradhanush (MI) and reduce bloodborne disease risks from needle-stick injuries.
- It is cost-effective, designed for over 1000 uses with only nozzle replacements needed.
