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Some children are born with their oesophagus in two segments, so the tube doesn鈥檛 connect to their stomach. A new robotic implant might help treat this serious condition, known as oesophageal atresia.

The robot consists of two steel rings, some sensors and a motor, all sealed in a protective waterproof skin. The device is attached to the outside of one section of the oesophagus and gently elongates it by moving the rings apart. Once the organ is long enough, the two segments can be stitched together.

The researchers behind the device have shown that it works in pigs, being able to lengthen the oesophagus by 77 per cent over eight to nine days. Equivalent growth in a human would be enough to fix the oesophageal atresia. 鈥淲e鈥檝e shown that it鈥檚 not just stretching, there is actually new cell growth as well,鈥� says Pierre Dupont at Harvard Medical School.

This process mimics the current treatment, where a similar process happens surgically. However, because the oesophagus is stretched by attaching it to the child鈥檚 back, they have to be sedated and paralysed while it happens. The treatment can take months and the long-term effects of being anaesthetised for so long are unknown.

In total, the current treatment costs around $1 million per child. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really successful at producing a working oesophagus, but it鈥檚 very painful for the family and child,鈥� says Dupont. With the robotic approach, the hope is that once the device is implanted, the child won鈥檛 be in pain and could remain awake.

Next, the researchers plan to look at the possibility of using the procedure to treat people with short bowel syndrome, a more common disorder without any good surgical solution.