As research into cancer and potential treatments advances, life expectancy from past treatments continues to grow. However, this amazing progress is not without challenges; lymphedema remains a difficult-to-address complication. Lymphedema happens when lymph nodes are damaged or removed during radiation treatments, which stops lymphatic fluid from properly draining and can cause painful swelling. The condition is treated with compression therapy. However, the devices used are large and bulky, requiring significant power to operate. These factors make the device quite expensive, often costing up to $3,000, and require the patient to sit still while it runs.
Dr. Carolyn Ren, a professor in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, has noted these problems and aims to find solutions through the Waterloo Microfluidics Laboratory (WML), which she directs. They've developed a prototype that combines a pump, valves, and a microfluidic chip into a compact unit. This unit combines lightweight inflatable balloons with a long-lasting battery, allowing the compression sleeve to run for up to 8 hours on a single overnight charge. This technology is a game-changer, as it would allow the patient to move freely during treatment, and the team hopes to provide the full treatment at half the price of current treatments by teaming up with manufacturers.
"As an engineer, I want to see the technology I develop work within my lifetime," Dr. Ren explains. "That motivation drives me to start from the problem. If the problem is real — something that affects human well-being, health or quality of life — I always feel there must be a solution."
The team has kept their eyes on the end goal, helping patients. They've collaborated with other experts to ensure the compression sleeve meets a real need. The team is now on its way to FDA approval and has received several awards for this innovation along the way.
Along with developing the compression sleeve, the team has also been working on a robotic hand, meant to help other cancer patients with lymphedema in hard-to-treat areas. This next-generation therapeutic device would also drive further healthcare innovation.
Dr. Ren and her team truly encompass the Waterloo spirit of innovation. They look at the real need and work to meet it, studying the current 'treatments' downsides and addressing each one. The team works to transform cancer recovery through soft robotics, keeping patients at the centre of it all.
To learn more about the amazing advancements Dr. Ren and the WML team are making, visit Developing soft-robotic wearable solutions for cancer recovery, in Waterloo News.