- New device shows promise in small animal studies
- Not only can it restore normal heart rhythms, it also can show which areas of the heart are functioning well and which areas are not
- After the device is no longer needed, it harmlessly dissolves inside the body, bypassing the need for extraction
Newswise — EVANSTON, Ill. —Approximately 700,000 individuals in the United States succumb to heart disease annually, with about 33% of those fatalities arising from complications during the initial weeks or months after a distressing heart-related incident.
In a bid to mitigate these fatalities, scientists from Northwestern and George Washington (GW) universities have created an innovative device for monitoring and addressing heart disease and malfunction during the period following such occurrences, spanning days, weeks, or months. Furthermore, this device dissolves safely within the body once its purpose is fulfilled, obviating the necessity for extraction.
Resembling the dimensions of a postage stamp, this pliable and adaptable device employs an assortment of sensors and actuators to conduct intricate assessments that surpass the capabilities of conventional devices like pacemakers. Not only can it be positioned on different segments of the heart, but it also transmits continuous data to physicians, enabling remote real-time monitoring of a patient's cardiac activity. Additionally, the device boasts exceptional transparency, granting physicians the ability to visually examine specific regions of the heart for diagnostic purposes or administering suitable treatments.
The research will be published on Wednesday (July 5) in the journal Science Advances.
Igor Efimov, an experimental cardiologist from Northwestern who co-led the research, explained, "Cardiac surgeries or catheter-based therapies can lead to various significant complications, such as atrial fibrillation and heart block. The existing methods for monitoring and treating these complications after surgery necessitate more advanced technology than what is presently accessible. We anticipate that our innovative device will bridge this technological gap. By utilizing our transient electronic device, it becomes feasible to map the electrical activity across multiple atrial locations and administer electrical stimuli from various sites to promptly halt the onset of atrial fibrillation."
Luyao Lu from GW, who co-led the project alongside Efimov, emphasized the significance of improved monitoring and treatment tools for patients during the critical weeks and months following heart surgery or a heart attack. Lu stated, "Enhanced tools for monitoring and treating patients in the vulnerable period after these events could potentially prevent numerous deaths. The device developed in our study holds tremendous potential in meeting the unmet requirements across various fundamental and translational research initiatives focused on cardiac health."
Efimov holds the position of a Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Northwestern's McCormick School of Engineering, and he also serves as a Professor of Medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. On the other hand, Lu is an Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering at GW.
This recent endeavor builds upon Efimov's earlier contributions in developing cardiac implants aimed at monitoring and providing temporary pacing to the heart. In 2021, Efimov, together with Northwestern professor John A. Rogers, introduced the world's first transient pacemaker, which was published in Nature Biomedical Engineering. Furthermore, earlier this year, Efimov's team unveiled a graphene-based "tattoo" designed for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmia, which was published in Advanced Materials. These advancements highlight Efimov's continuous efforts to pioneer innovative solutions in the field of cardiac healthcare.
Efimov explained the current practice of using temporary wires connected to external current generators for providing electrical stimulation in cases of temporary heart block following heart surgeries. However, he highlighted a recent development where they have created a bioresorbable pacemaker as a replacement for such wires. Addressing post-operative atrial fibrillation, Efimov emphasized the need for a more intricate approach involving a multi-electrode array for sensing and halting atrial fibrillation. With the novel technology they have introduced, they aim to achieve this objective.
In experiments conducted on small animal models, the newly developed device exhibits capabilities that surpass those of a conventional pacemaker. Unlike a pacemaker, which provides a general assessment of the heart's activity (whether it is beating or not), the transient device offers a more comprehensive understanding. It not only restores normal heart rhythms but also provides insights into the functioning of different regions of the heart. This transparency feature enables researchers to optically map various significant physical parameters of the heart through the device, facilitating a deeper investigation into heart function and the mechanisms underlying heart disease.
Following a clinically significant duration, the device, composed of FDA-approved biocompatible materials, undergoes a harmless dissolution process, transforming into benign substances. Similar to absorbable stitches, the device gradually degrades and completely dissipates through the body's natural biological mechanisms. The bioresorbable property of the device holds the potential to reduce healthcare expenses and enhance patient outcomes by eliminating complications associated with surgical extraction and reducing the risk of infections.
The research study titled "Soft, bioresorbable, transparent microelectrode arrays for multimodal spatiotemporal mapping and modulation of cardiac physiology" received support from two prominent organizations, namely the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. Their backing played a crucial role in enabling the successful execution of the study and the development of the innovative device described in the research.
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