Biodegradable porous microneedles via PLA microspheres for rapid ISF extraction and diagnosis

Abstract

This paper presents a novel fabrication method of biodegradable porous microneedles (MNs) for pain-free interstitial fluid (ISF) extraction from the skin. Biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) microspheres prepared by single emulsion were used to fill MNs in order to form continuous capillaries directly. Subsequently, heat treatment was implemented to bond microspheres together to produce interconnected micropores and robust porous structures. The results demonstrated that the extraction performance by capillary effect and skin penetration of MNs improved greatly after the heat treatment. With the proposed fabrication method, mass production of porous MNs can be achieved and furthermore, early diagnosis of diseases can be realized by integrating biosensors.