World’s Tiniest Pacemaker Set to Bring Big Advances in Heart Treatment

At just one millimeter thick and 3.5 millimeters long, it is small enough to fit into the tip of a syringe, eliminating the need for surgical removal.

Scientists from Northwestern University have introduced the world’s smallest pacemaker, a groundbreaking device even tinier than a grain of rice.

Still, in its early development phase, this technology offers a temporary solution for regulating heartbeats and has the potential to revolutionize cardiac care.

The study titled “Millimetre-scale Bioresorbable Optoelectronic Systems for Electrotherapy” has detailed this advancement and has been published in Nature.

How it Works

This pacemaker operates without wires and is powered by light. At just one millimeter thick and 3.5 millimeters long, it is small enough to fit into the tip of a syringe, eliminating the need for surgical removal. Once its function is complete, it dissolves naturally within the body.

Unlike permanent pacemakers surgically implanted to regulate heart rhythms long-term, this temporary version is designed for short-term assistance.

It is often required following procedures such as open-heart surgery, heart attacks, infections, or medication-related complications.

Conventional temporary pacemakers require electrodes sewn onto heart muscles, with wires connected to an external powered device. When no longer needed, these wires are physically pulled out, sometimes leading to tissue damage.

The new device is linked to a soft patch worn on the patient’s chest. When the patch detects irregular heartbeats, it emits light signals that direct the pacemaker to stimulate an appropriate heartbeat.

The pacemaker is powered by a galvanic cell, which converts the body's fluids into electrical pulses that regulate heart function.

The device has demonstrated effectiveness in laboratory tests conducted on mice, rats, pigs, dogs, and human heart tissue.

According to senior study author John Rogers of Northwestern University, human trials could commence in approximately two to three years. His lab has already launched a start-up to facilitate further development.

Considered a transformative breakthrough, the device could pave the way for further innovations across medical fields.

In a similar development, Monitra Healthcare recently developed an AI-powered chest patch that provides real-time heart monitoring for early diagnosis of heart conditions.

The startup’s latest device captures transient abnormal heart rhythms often undetected by traditional heart monitors. The compact and discreet device continuously records electrocardiograms (ECG) and analyzes the data using AI.

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