Researchers are another step closer to bringing heart patients a temporary “smart” pacemaker that simply dissolves once it’s no longer needed. Pacemakers are devices that are implanted to help control certain abnormal heart rhythms, by sending electrical pulses to the heart muscle. They are normally permanent, but in some cases patients only need temporary heart pacing for a matter of days.

Last year, researchers at Northwestern University reported initial success in developing an alternative to the temporary pacemakers used today: a wireless, “dissolving” pacemaker made of materials that biodegrade over a few weeks. [1]

Figure 1. A Pacemaker that can dissolve in the Body after Use

Figure 1 shows Usually, when a pacemaker needs to be removed or replaced, doctors have to surgically extract the wires and electrodes attached to the heart. While this procedure is typically safe, it can raise the risk of infection or other complications. This new device would in theory be able to eliminate these risks completely. [2]

The devices are capable of monitoring the patient’s heart rate, among other vitals such as body temperature. These also wirelessly power the pacemaker. The vital data can be remotely monitored by doctors and collected via a computer network. They've already tested the system in rodents and dogs along with human hearts and it is working just as it should. [3]

After a time of use, the pacemaker degrades naturally in the body. It now distributes an anti-inflammatory medication to avoid foreign-body reactions as it dissolves slowly and painlessly. The device’s ability to offer pacing on-demand, based on when the patient requires it, is perhaps the most significant advancement. The chest-mounted cardiac module, which is synced with the pacemaker, records an electrocardiogram in real time to monitor heart function. [4]

References:

1. https://www.electronicsforu.com/news/whats-new/a-pacemaker-that-can-dissolve-in-the-body-after-use
2. https://metro.co.uk/2022/05/27/smart-pacemaker-dissolves-inside-the-body-when-no-longer-needed-16722777/
3. https://www.indiatimes.com/technology/science-and-future/this-smart-pacemaker-will-dissolve-into-the-body-after-its-job-is-done-570684.html/
4. https://www.electronicsforu.com/news/whats-new/a-pacemaker-that-can-dissolve-in-the-body-after-us

Cite this article:

Thanusri swetha J (2022), A Pacemaker that can dissolve in the Body after Use, Anatechmaz, pp.139