Breakthroughs in the medical application of fluorosilicone oil: From artificial organs to precision medicine

1.Innovation in artificial heart valve technology, fluorosilicone oil reduces the risk of thrombosis
The new surface modification technology of fluorosilicone oil has achieved a major breakthrough in the field of artificial heart valves. Experimental data show that the protein adsorption capacity of valve materials treated with fluorosilicone oil is reduced by 87%, and the risk of thrombosis drops to one fifth of that of traditional materials. This technology constructs a -CF3 molecule assembly membrane on the surface of the valve and utilizes the strong electronegativity of fluorine atoms to form a hydrophobic barrier, effectively inhibiting the aggregation of platelets in the blood. A bionic valve developed by a certain research team has completed animal experiments. After running 180 days in a simulated human circulatory system, the surface of the valve remained smooth without blood clots. The related product is expected to enter the clinical stage in 2027.

In the field of microfluidic chips, fluorosilicone oil, as a hydrophobic medium, achieves a single-cell capture efficiency of up to 99.3%. By regulating the length of the fluorine chain, the chip can precisely control the movement trajectory of cells, providing a new method for tumor cell sorting and gene sequencing. A certain medical equipment company has applied this technology to liquid biopsy equipment, increasing the detection sensitivity of circulating tumor cells by three times.

2. Breakthroughs have been made in the targeted drug delivery system, achieving precise controlled release of fluorosilicone oil
Fluorosilicone oil has demonstrated unique advantages in the field of drug delivery. The fluorosilicone oil-based targeted drug delivery system developed by Shanghai Jiao Tong University precisely controls the drug sustained-release cycle within 72±2 hours by regulating the length of the fluorine chain, reducing the damage of chemotherapy drugs to normal tissues by 60%. This system utilizes the low surface energy characteristic of fluorosilicone oil to encapsulate anti-cancer drugs in nanoscale microspheres and achieve precise delivery through the high permeability and long retention effect (EPR effect) of tumor tissues. Animal experiments have shown that the enrichment concentration of the drug at the tumor site is eight times that of traditional preparations.

In the field of ophthalmic treatment, the application of fluorosilicone oil as an intraocular filler has been further optimized. The new type of fluorosilicone oil, through molecular structure design, maintains a high refractive index while increasing the biodegradation rate to 30%, and reduces the damage to the retina by 50% when removed after surgery. Clinical trials in a certain hospital have shown that the success rate of retinal repositioning surgery using fluorosilicone oil has increased from 82% to 91%, and the postoperative vision recovery time of patients has been shortened by 30%.

3. Research on biocompatibility has been deepened, and fluorosilicone oil has expanded into medical applications
New progress has been made in the biocompatibility research of fluorosilicone oil. A team from a certain university confirmed through cytotoxicity experiments and animal implantation experiments that the cell survival rate of fluorosilicone oil reached 98.7%, and there was no obvious inflammatory response six months after implantation in the body. This characteristic enables its rapid application in the fields of artificial joint lubrication and nerve conduit repair. The fluorosilicone oil-based joint lubricating fluid developed by a certain enterprise can reduce the friction coefficient of artificial joints to 0.008, significantly reducing the risk of abnormal joint noise and wear after surgery.

In the field of stomatology, fluorosilicone oil has a remarkable effect as an anti-caries coating for teeth. Experiments show that the coating containing fluorosilicone oil can increase the fluoride ion concentration on the enamel surface by five times, enhance the acid erosion resistance by 40%, and reduce the incidence of dental caries by 60%. This technology has been promoted in children's dental clinics, and the protection period of a single coating can reach 12 months.

4. Environmental protection regulations promote technological upgrading, and the standards for medical-grade fluorosilicone oil have been improved
With the full implementation of the EU's PFAS ban, traditional fluorine-containing materials are facing elimination. Fluorosilicone oil, with its low toxicity and degradability, has become the best alternative. Domestic enterprises have optimized their processes to keep the perfluorinated compound content in medical-grade fluorosilicone oil below 0.1ppm, meeting the world's most stringent environmental protection standards. At the policy level, the "Quality Control Guidelines for Medical Silicone Oil" issued by the National Medical Products Administration has raised the purity requirement for fluorosilicone oil from 99.5% to 99.9%, promoting technological upgrading in the industry.

In international competition, domestic fluorosilicone oil has rapidly replaced imported products by virtue of its cost-performance advantage. The medical-grade fluorosilicone oil of a certain enterprise has passed the ISO 10993 biocompatibility certification. Its price is only 60% of similar products in the United States. The overseas market share is expected to exceed 15% in 2025. In the future, with the release of international standards such as the "Guidelines for the Medical Application of Fluorosilicone Oil", the technological output of Chinese enterprises will further accelerate.