A central challenge in visceral surgery is the safe and reliable reconnection of intestinal ends following the resection of diseased bowel segments. Within the CONNECT project, a microinvasive, endoscopic anastomosis system was developed for the first time, enabling a fluid- and gas-tight end-to-end anastomosis through the use of an implant. This approach was successfully implemented in the form of a demonstrator and established the foundation for a transluminal surgical platform that avoids the disadvantages of conventional suture and stapling techniques while reducing surgical trauma.
The subsequent follow-up project CONNEXT builds upon these results and significantly extends them. The goal is the development of a fully endoluminal platform that operates without external laparoscopic assistance. To achieve this, an actively steerable, hydraulically actuated overtube system with stiffening capability will be created, providing precise positioning and a stable operating environment. In addition, additively manufactured hydraulic components for miniaturized end-effectors will be developed, enabling targeted tissue manipulation such as grasping, cutting, and repositioning.
Another key focus is the development of intelligent, pressure-adaptive implants whose mechanical properties dynamically adjust to local tissue conditions, thereby supporting optimal anastomotic healing. Finally, a preclinical in-vivo evaluation is planned to validate the applicability and safety of the overall system.
The overarching goal of CONNEXT is the design, development, and fabrication of a universally applicable, transluminal, and size-scalable anastomosis system that enables the microinvasive creation of anastomoses in large parts of the gastrointestinal tract, thereby overcoming the limitations of current techniques.
The CONNEXT project is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and carried out in collaboration with the Chair of Biomedical Materials and Implants at the TUM School of Engineering and Design.