Researchers at George Washington University and Northwestern University have developed the first-ever transient pacemaker—a wireless, battery-free, fully implantable pacing device that disappears after it’s no longer needed.
A new study published last month in Nature Biotechnology demonstrates the device’s efficacy across a series of large and small animal models.
The thin, flexible, lightweight device could be used in patients who need temporary pacing after cardiac surgery or while waiting for a permanent pacemaker, according to a Northwestern University news release. All components of the pacemaker are biocompatible and naturally absorb into the body’s biofluids over the course of five to seven weeks, without needing surgical extraction.
The device wirelessly harvests energy from an external, remote antenna using near-field communication protocols—the same technology used in smartphones for electronic payments and in RFID tags. This eliminates the need for bulky batteries and rigid hardware, including wires (or leads) that can introduce infections or become enveloped in scar tissue, causing further damage when removed.