The Buckypaper as a New Device in the Treatment of Some Solid Cancer and Hematopoietic System Tumors and as a New Fixing Device for Prosthetic Surgery. In Vivo Study on Effects of BP Implantation, Preliminary to Human Surgical Applications

The Buckypaper (BP) is an innovative material that has attracted the attention of many research groups engaged in the study of its possible applications in various technological fields preliminary to human experimentation. In fact the experimentation, preliminary conducted on animal model, will be applicable to human, if the results in terms of toxicity and durability will be comfortable.

The interesting material properties, such as good mechanical strength, electrical conductivity, low density, porosity adaptable, are closely associated to the intrinsic characteristics of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), of which BP is made . The high surface development of CNT, in addition to promoting their aggregation, allows the preparation of micro-and nano-porous membranes that exclude the passage of colloidal particles with a diameter greater than 50 nm. The microporous structure, also gives the BP high capacity to absorb liquids, such as water, for which the effect of capillarity, penetrates quickly in the mesh material . This could be a possible interpretation of the rapid and effective adhesion of BP to biological tissues observed in our studies on the effects of the material implanted in vivo. The bioadhesion of BP has been documented in ex vivo experiments mechanical peeling (bench surgery), conducted in advance using as substrate, guinea pig, rats, the abdominal muscle fascia of rabbits. The results showed that the force required the posting of BP from organic support is much greater than that required for the conventional prosthesis made from polymer networks, commonly used in hernia surgery fixed with glue and biological prosthetic material bioadhesive synthetic currently marketed . Based on these assessments and based on the potential offered by the use of BP in the field of prosthetic surgery, deductible by the intrinsic characteristics of the material in this project is expected to further research for the development of a new generation of prosthetic materials for use surgical -based BP, easily implantable by the surgeon without the need for sutures, graphs and / or biological glues . The reasons are:

1. stitches: they could tighten the knot vessels (ischemia-atrophy) or nerves (chronic pain);
2. graphs: placing blind and can cause bleeding or pain;
3. biological glues: derived from the plasma of donors and thus could transmit diseases unknown.

It is still unknown if BP has the appropriate mechanical properties to withstand the stresses that occur on the abdominal wall and In any case is documented the good bio-adhesion on living tissues and anatomical preparations, but only if made humid.

For this reason it was decided to prepare composite materials BP/polypropylene. Such materials, defined as "coupled", will be obtained by adhering on the smooth face of BP, a polymeric support which confers to the hybrid film, the correct mechanical resistance. Such a system may be subject to further changes. Indeed, exploiting the functional groups present or introduced into the crystalline structure of MWCNTs and/or on the polymer, it will be possible to implant on the muscle/muscular fascia surface, the composite material, to obtain gripping. Moreover, biologically active molecules, with functions antimicrobial, anti-adhesive, anti-inflammatory or analgesic, can be introduced into the crystalline structure of MWCNTs, for modulate the inflammatory response and the incorporation of the implanted material in the fibrous scar.