Chinese scientists have designed a bionic penis: how it could be used in humans

Designed by a group of scientists from South China University of Technology a bionic penis able to repair injuries and restore erectile function in pigs.

It is a synthetic fabric that uses a artificial tunica albuginea (ATA) which mimics a fibrous covering of tissue crucial for maintaining an erection.

The invention, which has already been tested in pigs, has shown promise for repairing wounds in humans, the scientists suggest in their publication in the trade journal Matter.

“Our study shows that ATA holds great promise for penile injury repair,” the study abstract reads.

The word of the specialist

“We had very much anticipated the problems and results of the ATA building process, but we were still surprised by the results of animal experiments, where the penis returned to normal erection immediately after using the ATA,” he commented. Xuetao ShiUniversity researcher and co-author of the paper.

For Xuetao, “ATA’s biggest advantage is that it achieves tissue function by mimicking the microstructure of natural tissues.”

The design approach can also be extended to many other load-bearing fabrics.

How was the process?

First, the specialists confirmed that the chosen synthetic material was non-toxic and could remain in the body for a long time.

They then tested ATA in pigs with lesions in the tunica albuginea and noted that the patches made with artificial tissue restored erectile function nearly equivalent to normal penile tissue.

A month later they found that their invention developed fibrosis comparable to that of normal tissue and that the pigs achieved normal erections after a saline solution was injected into their penises.

“Results one month after the procedure showed that the ATA group had good, though not perfect repair results,” said the authors.

As for their role in the first stage of the process, they said they focused on repairing a single tissue in the penis. “The next stage will be to consider repairing the general penile defect or building an artificial penis from a holistic perspective.”, they advanced.

The scientists also plan to not only pursue this avenue of research but also explore techniques for repairing other tissues, including the heart and bladder.