Fully implantable and bioresorbable cardiac pacemakers without leads or batteries

A biodegradable pacemaker without external leads improves the safety of temporary cardiac pacing. Temporary cardiac pacemakers used in periods of need during surgical recovery involve percutaneous leads and externalized hardware that carry risks of infection, constrain patient mobility and may damage the heart during lead removal. Here we report a leadless, battery-free, fully implantable cardiac pacemaker for postoperative control of cardiac rate and rhythm that undergoes complete dissolution and clearance by natural biological processes after a defined operating timeframe. We show that these devices provide effective pacing of hearts of various sizes in mouse, rat, rabbit, canine and human cardiac models, with tailored geometries and operation timescales, powered by wireless energy transfer. This approach overcomes key disadvantages of traditional temporary pacing devices and may serve as the basis for the next generation of postoperative temporary pacing technology.

Automated summary

A biodegradable pacemaker without external leads has been developed to improve the safety of temporary cardiac pacing. This fully implantable pacemaker can control cardiac rate and rhythm postoperatively before dissolving completely. Tested in various animal and human models, this approach overcomes key disadvantages of traditional temporary pacing devices.