London, March 20 (IANS) In a novel study, Oxford scientists have developed a gel that may soon heal the misery of cleft palates in kids.
Although they can be corrected through surgery, those most severely affected can suffer problems with their speech and appearance for years to come.
According to researcher David Bucknall, the gel is "significantly better than anything we can do now".
The gel is similar to the one used in soft contact lenses. It slowly absorbs water, swelling to 10 times its original size, reports dailymail.co.uk.
The researchers plan to insert small discs of the gel under the skin, close to the cleft, which expand as they take in water from the body and new skin grows over them. The discs are removed after six or eight weeks and the fresh skin used to stitch up the cleft.
The researchers hope the technique could be in use by 2013.
| Other Articles: |
 |
Genetically modified mosquitos may help fight malaria (20th Mar, 2010) |
|
Will accept nothing short of Headley's extradition: BJP (19th Mar, 2010) |
|
Acupuncture 'can spread HIV, hepatitis B and C' (19th Mar, 2010) |
|
Smoking may impair women's cognition (19th Mar, 2010) |
|
First summit of religious leaders on AIDS in Netherlands (19th Mar, 2010) |
|
Shift workers at increased irritable bowel syndrome risk (19th Mar, 2010) |
|
Women with swine flu more likely to suffer critical illness if pregnant (19th Mar, 2010) |
|
Stress during pregnancy 'ups offspring's asthma risk' (19th Mar, 2010) |
|
Cardiac rehabilitation can help heart patients (19th Mar, 2010) |
|
Exercising? Get your clothes right (19th Mar, 2010) |
|
Democrats unveil US health reform bill (19th Mar, 2010) |
|
Morning-after pill doesn't cut teen pregnancy: Study (19th Mar, 2010) |
|
Loneliness raises blood pressure: research (19th Mar, 2010) |
|
Marathon training 'causes heart damage in healthy people' (18th Mar, 2010) |
|
Calls for melancholia to be listed as 'mental illness' (18th Mar, 2010) |
|
Apollo plans 32 new hospitals in two years (18th Mar, 2010) |
|
Women with gum disease likely to have premature babies (18th Mar, 2010) |
|
Selenium may help fight diabetes in men (18th Mar, 2010) |
|
Diabetics who have difficulty reaching out to others face early death risk (18th Mar, 2010) |
|
Hypnotherapy effective for easing irritable bowel syndrome symptoms (18th Mar, 2010) |
|
Loneliness linked to high BP in elderly (18th Mar, 2010) |
|
Private hospitals disqualified from birth scheme in Madhya Pradesh (18th Mar, 2010) |
|
Ice ball therapy offers hope of breast cancer cure (18th Mar, 2010) |
|
Hair loss reduces prostate cancer risk in men (18th Mar, 2010) |
|
Common cold symptoms may not end after nose spray (18th Mar, 2010) |
Today : Saturday - May 26, 2012, 12:14am (GMT+5.5)
