12 ms·

Sounds like the beginnings of the next asbestos-like problem

rob74 3y ago
Not sure if the spikes can actually detach from the implant, like asbestos fibers, but even if they don't, I was wondering how the tissue surrounding the implant will react to these spikes. Won't they be a constant irritant, which may lead to unwanted consequences? So I agree that further research is probably needed...
puzzlingcaptcha 3y ago
The diameter is quite similar - the paper here shows 760 nm which is in the same ballpark as asbestos fibers. Although it seems that lung cancer was more correlated with exposure to longer fibers (>20um) [1], and these are quite short (3.5um) and hopefully not something you inhale. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2975987/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2975987/
tokai 3y ago
How? Other than if being very small particles, these spikes are nothing like asbestos fibers.
stevespang 3y ago
[dead]
btilly 3y ago
Since this one is copied off of a design already found in insects, I think we already deal with this pretty well. How your body handles such dust is simple. We coat it in mucus, and the mucus comes up and out (runny nose, spitting, etc). The reason why asbestos causes problems is that it acts like a needle, and keeps running into things. These are short enough that they shouldn't do that.
vGPU 3y ago
Isn’t this basically the same idea as diatomaceous earth?
- gymbeaux 3y ago
  Diatomaceous earth works externally to kill bugs who are uniquely susceptible to a powder that is only sharp at a small scale (eg to us it’s a fine powder, to bugs it’s shrapnel). This seems similar but for internal use, so more akin to asbestos in that it’s a tiny sharp object that goes inside us with no clear means of removal. Asbestos is so damaging because our lungs are incapable of removing it, so the fibers irritate structures in the lungs until cancerous cells that can’t be handled by our immune system form and spread. The same principle would apply elsewhere in the body if that irritating object can’t be expunged, I would think. If the body can remove these titanium pieces though, it sounds like it could work well with little to no risk.

Not sure if the spikes can actually detach from the implant, like asbestos fibers, but even if they don't, I was wondering how the tissue surrounding the implant will react to these spikes. Won't they be a constant irritant, which may lead to unwanted consequences? So I agree that further research is probably needed...

puzzlingcaptcha 3y ago

The diameter is quite similar - the paper here shows 760 nm which is in the same ballpark as asbestos fibers. Although it seems that lung cancer was more correlated with exposure to longer fibers (>20um) [1], and these are quite short (3.5um) and hopefully not something you inhale. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2975987/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2975987/

tokai 3y ago

How? Other than if being very small particles, these spikes are nothing like asbestos fibers.

stevespang 3y ago

[dead]

btilly 3y ago

Since this one is copied off of a design already found in insects, I think we already deal with this pretty well. How your body handles such dust is simple. We coat it in mucus, and the mucus comes up and out (runny nose, spitting, etc). The reason why asbestos causes problems is that it acts like a needle, and keeps running into things. These are short enough that they shouldn't do that.

vGPU 3y ago

Isn’t this basically the same idea as diatomaceous earth?

gymbeaux 3y ago
Diatomaceous earth works externally to kill bugs who are uniquely susceptible to a powder that is only sharp at a small scale (eg to us it’s a fine powder, to bugs it’s shrapnel). This seems similar but for internal use, so more akin to asbestos in that it’s a tiny sharp object that goes inside us with no clear means of removal. Asbestos is so damaging because our lungs are incapable of removing it, so the fibers irritate structures in the lungs until cancerous cells that can’t be handled by our immune system form and spread. The same principle would apply elsewhere in the body if that irritating object can’t be expunged, I would think. If the body can remove these titanium pieces though, it sounds like it could work well with little to no risk.