Researchers have created a soluble cardiac pacemaker

While you may be more familiar with permanent pacemakers, temporary versions of the device are sometimes needed after open heart surgery, heart attack, or overdose. The problem is that these devices can cause infections, become dislodged, or introduce other complications such as scarring upon removal. But now researchers at Northwestern and George Washington universities say they’ve created a temporary wireless pacemaker which dissolves in the body after use.

In one study Posted in Natural biotechnology (Going through Wired), the researchers describe a tiny device made of thin, flexible and lightweight biocompatible materials that can be reabsorbed by the body in five to seven weeks. He It also doesn’t require a battery for power or rigid wires and wires, as it recovers energy using NFC, the same technology used in smartphones for contactless payments. The device is only 250 microns thick and weighs less than half a gram. According to Wired, the important thing here is that silicon can be reabsorbed by the body. This means that ultra-thin silicon can be used to create electronic components that are much thinner than the silicon that powers consumer electronics.

“Instead of using wires that can be infected and dislodged, we can implant this wireless, biocompatible pacemaker,” said Dr. Rishi Arora, co-lead of the study and cardiologist at Northwestern Medicine, in A press release. “The circuit is implanted directly on the surface of the heart, and we can activate it remotely.” Arora went on to say that the device could also be modified so that doctors can certainBioresorbable day implant pacemakers in the veins in the legs or arms.

The current process for temporary pacemakers is to sew electrodes to the heart, with wires coming out of the chest and connecting to an external case. This is not the most comfortable scenario for patients, as it restricts their movements and activities to avoid dislodging. A flexible pacemaker that you can stick to the heart which then dissolves would eliminate this problem. The researchers also say that it is possible to tailor the thickness and composition of the device to more precisely control the operating time of the device. before dissolving.

That said, it will be some time before this type of technology can be used on humans. Researchers have been successful in testing in mice and rabbits, but extending this type of treatment to humans requires more clinical testing and testing for safety and efficacy. According to Wired, clinical trials based on this design could begin in about three years. Although it sounds like a long time, this type of medical technology often has a long lead time due to rigorous testing standards. However, if successful, this could open the door to other types of soluble implants for other difficult-to-operate organs.