Body Bondo

No scalpel, just a trowel:

Scientists at Purdue University have developed a new material that begins as a liquid and then hardens to fill gaps in damaged or missing tissue. And the material may contain antibiotics to prevent infection, “growth factors” to promote tissue regeneration, or blood-clotting materials to aid in healing. Then as healthy tissue begins to grow, the material disintegrates.

“I can envision things like liquid bandages in conjunction with anesthetic delivery,” said Alyssa Panitch, lead scientist on the project. “Our main focuses right now are wound healing, [central nervous system] repair, vascular repair and orthopedic indications.”

The process works in a similar way to how the body creates tissue. Molecules called polysaccharides — basically starches or sugars — combine with peptides, the body’s protein building blocks, to create temporary tissue.

“The matrix can have any shape you want it to,” Panitch said in a statement. “It would solidify immediately to fill the defect.”