A new, python-inspired device might close that gap. Rotator cuff surgeries have failure rates between 20 and 94 percent. With the likelihood of retearing, doctors sometimes decide not to operate.

More information: Iden Kurtaliaj et al, Python-tooth-inspired fixation device for enhanced rotator cuff repair, Science Advances (2024).

The team's original idea was to copy the shape of python teeth, but they went much further, using simulations, 3D printing, and ex vivo experiments on cadavers to explore the relationship between ...

Python tooth–inspired fixation device for enhanced rotator cuff repair. Science Advances, 2024; 10 (26) DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adl5270 ...

SCIENCE SHORTS Torn Rotator Cuff? The Gripping Strength of a Python’s Teeth Could Help It Heal. The device attaches to the shoulder bone and the tendon like the snake grabs its prey ...

The powerful grip of a python’s bite is helping researchers heal a common shoulder injury that afflicts millions of Americans. Medical researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center ...