Pacemaker That Dissolves

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Pacemaker Diss0lves

No More Invasive Surgery—This Pacemaker Dissolves Instead Temporary pacemakers are often vital but dangerous to remove when their jobs are done  ..    By JOANNA GOODRICH,   Spectrum IEEE

After having cardiovascular surgery, many patients require a temporary pacemaker to help stabilize their heart rate. The device consists of a pulse generator, one or more insulated wires, and an electrode at the end of each wire.

The pulse generator—a metal case that contains electronic circuitry with a small computer and a battery—regulates the impulses sent to the heart. The wire is connected to the pulse generator on one end while the electrode is placed inside one of the heart’s chambers.

But there are several issues with temporary pacemakers: The generator limits the patient’s mobility, and the wires must be surgically removed, which can cause complications such as infection, dislodgment, torn or damaged tissues, bleeding, and blood clots.

Researchers have found that a dissolving pacemaker can make a real difference for patients. Last year a team of scientists at Northwestern University, in Evanston, Ill., developed such a device, which will allow patients to live without being tethered to external hardware. The dissolving pacemaker is 250 micrometers thick, weighs less than half a gram, and dissolves in the patient’s body, eliminating the need for surgical removal.

In May, the researchers introduced an upgraded, smart version of the pacemaker. It connects to a network of soft, flexible wearable sensors developed by the team. These sensors monitor various physiological functions to help determine when to pace the heart and at what rate. The pacing system is completely autonomous.

The device also releases an anti-inflammatory drug while it dissolves.

“When you implant any kind of foreign hardware into the human body, cells attack that object,” explains Igor Efimov, a member of the development team and a professor of biomedical engineering at the university. He says that releasing the anti-inflammatory drug will stop the body from rejecting the pacemaker.   ....