Northwestern University has announced the development of a new pacemaker technology, detailed in a study published in the journal Nature. The device, described as the "world’s smallest pacemaker," is small enough to be injected using a syringe, making it suitable for the fragile hearts of newborns with congenital heart defects.
John A. Rogers and Igor Efimov, leading a team of researchers, showcased a unique pacemaker paired with a wireless wearable patch. This patch detects irregularities in the heart's rhythm and uses light pulses to regulate heartbeats effectively. The pacemaker, designed for temporary use, dissolves inside the body after it is no longer needed, eliminating the requirement for surgical removal.
“There’s a crucial need for temporary pacemakers in the context of pediatric heart surgeries, and that’s a use case where size miniaturization is incredibly important. In terms of the device load on the body — the smaller, the better,” stated John A. Rogers. Igor Efimov further explained, “About 1% of children are born with congenital heart defects — regardless of whether they live in a low-resource or high-resource country. The good news is that these children only need temporary pacing after a surgery.”
The technology also offers advances over traditional methods by using a new power source: a galvanic cell that uses body fluids as a conducting electrolyte to form a battery, in place of former near-field communication methods. Rogers stated that employing a "light-based scheme for turning the pacemaker on and delivering stimulation pulses" has allowed for significant miniaturization.
The system can provide benefits beyond heart pacing; according to Efimov, multiple pacemakers can be synchronized across the heart, enhancing therapy options. This innovative approach potentially broadens the impact to include aiding in nerve and bone healing, treating wounds, and pain management.
The development of this technology highlights how "this pacemaker can be integrated with almost any kind of implantable device," offering versatile applications in medical technology and expanding the potential for bioelectronic medicine applications.
The research was funded by the Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, the Leducq Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health.