The Swiss approach for a heartbeat-driven lead- and batteryless pacemaker (original) (raw)
Related papers
Direct Powering a Real Cardiac Pacemaker by Natural Energy of a Heartbeat
Implantable medical devices are widely used for monitoring and treatment of severe diseases. In particular, an implantable cardiac pacemaker is the most effective therapeutic device for treating bradyrhythmia, however its surgical replacement is inevitable every 5−12 years due to the limited life of the built-in battery. Although several approaches of energy harvesting have been explored in this decade for powering cardiac pacemakers, the modern, commercial, and full-function pacemaker has never been powered effectively yet. Here, we report an integrated strategy for directly powering a modern and full-function cardiac pacemaker, which can pace the porcine heart in vivo by harvesting the natural energy of a heartbeat, without using any external energy storage element. The generator includes an elastic skeleton and two piezoelectric composites, which could generate a high-output current of 15 μA in vivo over state-of-the-art performance. This study makes an impressive step toward fabricating a self-powered cardiac pacemaker and resolving the power issue of implantable medical devices by piezoelectric harvesting technology.
Current state and future perspectives of energy sources for totally implantable cardiac devices.
There is a large population of patients with end-stage congestive heart failure who cannot be treated by means of conventional cardiac surgery, cardiac transplantation, or chronic catecholamine infusions.Implantable cardiac devices, many designated as destination therapy, have revolutionized patient care and outcomes; though infection and complications related to external power sources or routine battery exchange remain a substantial risk. Complications from repeat battery replacement, power failure and infections ultimately endanger the original objectives of implantable biomedical device therapy - eliminating the intended patient autonomy, affecting patient quality of life and survival. We sought to review the limitations of current cardiac biomedical device energy sources and discuss the current state and trends of future potential energy sources in pursuit of a lifelong fully implantable biomedical device. ASAIO Journal 2016; 62:639–645.
Energy harvesting devices as long lasting power sources for the next generation pacemakers
2013 25th International Conference on Microelectronics (ICM), 2013
This paper presents devices for harvesting energy from regular blood pressure variation in heart cavities. Specific challenges of this concept are analyzed. First, a very flexible and hermetic packaging solution is proposed. Then, piezoelectric and electrostatic transducers are conceived and optimized for the pacemaker application. According to our simulations and experiments, the proposed devices should provide the targeted electrical energy of 10 µJ per heartbeat in real environment.
Novel technology for the provision of power to implantable physiological devices
Journal of Applied Physiology, 2006
We report the development of a novel technology that enables the wireless transmission of sufficient amounts of power to implantable physiological devices. The system involves a primary unit generating the magnetic field and a secondary pickup unit deriving power from the magnetic field and a power conditioner. The inductively coupled system was able to supply a minimum of 20mW at all locations and pickup orientations across a rat cage, although much higher power of up to 10 W could be achieved. We hypothesized that it would be possible to use this technology to record a high fidelity ECG signal in a conscious rat. A device was constructed in which power was utilized to recharge a battery contained within a telemetry device recording ECG signal sampled at 2000 Hz in conscious rats (200-350 gm) living in their home cage. Attributes of the ECG signal (QT, QRS, and PR interval) could be obtained with a high degree of accuracy (<1 ms). ECG and heart rate changes in response to treatment with the beta blocker propranolol and the proarrhythmic alkaloid aconitine were measured.
Biocatalytic electrodes made of buckypaper were modified with PQQ-dependent glucose dehydrogenase on the anode and with laccase on the cathode and were assembled in a flow biofuel cell filled with serum solution mimicking the human blood circulatory system. The biofuel cell generated an open circuitry voltage, V oc , of ca. 470 mV and a short circuitry current, I sc , of ca. 5 mA (a current density of 0.83 mA cm À2 ). The power generated by the implantable biofuel cell was used to activate a pacemaker connected to the cell via a charge pump and a DC-DC converter interface circuit to adjust the voltage produced by the biofuel cell to the value required by the pacemaker. The voltage-current dependencies were analyzed for the biofuel cell connected to an Ohmic load and to the electronic loads composed of the interface circuit, or the power converter, and the pacemaker to study their operation. The correct pacemaker operation was confirmed using a medical device -an implantable loop recorder. Sustainable operation of the pacemaker was achieved with the system closely mimicking human physiological conditions using a single biofuel cell. This first demonstration of the pacemaker activated by the physiologically produced electrical energy shows promise for future electronic implantable medical devices powered by electricity harvested from the human body.
Microgenerators for Energy Autarkic Pacemakers and Defibrillators: Fact or Fiction?
Herz, 2001
Background: Implantable devices for medical use like permanent pacemakers, defibrillators, and fluid pumps depend on an energy provided by batteries. Unfortunately, the battery usually determines the duration of life of these devices, while technical problems occur infrequent. Device replacement for battery exhaustion requires surgical procedures and account for up to 1/3 of all pacemakers sold. Attempts to provide unlimited power support using radio transmission, nuclear energy etc. did not gain clinical acceptance. Method: We therefore evaluated the potential role of a microgenerator (designed for use in wrist watches) to recharge pacemaker batteries. We used the Epson-Seiko Caliber 5M22 that uses a "Gold-Cap" for energy storage. The mass of the actuator is 1.6 g and an angle of > 10° is needed to overcome friction. Output at a rotor frequency of 200 Hz is 1.8 mWatt To Mikrogeneratoren für energieautarke Schrittmacher und Defibrillatoren: Wunschdenken oder machbar?
Multifunctional Pacemaker Lead for Cardiac Energy Harvesting and Pressure Sensing
Advanced Healthcare Materials, 2020
Biomedical self-sustainable energy generation represents a new frontier of power solution for implantable biomedical devices (IMDs), such as cardiac pacemakers. However, almost all reported cardiac energy harvesting designs have not yet reached the stage of clinical translation. A major bottleneck has been the need of additional surgeries for the placements of these devices. Here, integrated piezoelectric-based energy harvesting and sensing designs are reported, which can be seamlessly incorporated into existing IMDs for ease of clinical translation. In vitro experiments validate the energy harvesting process by simulating the bending and twisting motion during heart cycle. Clinical translation is demonstrated in four porcine hearts in vivo under various conditions. Energy harvesting strategy utilizes pacemaker leads as a means of reducing the reliance on batteries and demonstrates the charging ability for extending the lifetime of a pacemaker battery by 20%, which provides a promising self-sustainable energy solution for IMDs. The additional self-powered blood pressure sensing is discussed, and the reported results demonstrate the potential in alerting arrhythmias by monitoring the right ventricular pressure variations. This combined cardiac energy harvesting and blood pressure sensing strategy provides a multifunctional, transformative while practical power and diagnosis solution for cardiac pacemakers and next generation of IMDs.
The use of nanogenerators to power cardiac pacemakers.pdf
Advances in medical technology have led to a substantial increase in the number of medical assist devices implanted in the human body. The pacemaker is one such device which aids cardiac functioning. Even as the number of pacemakers implanted each year reaches into millions worldwide, finding an efficient power source for them still remains a challenge. The average life span of a pacemaker battery is seven years. A cardiac patient thus requires several surgeries to replace the battery throughout his lifetime. The search for an alternate power source for pacemakers is hence critical. This paper reviews the use of nanogenerators as a power source for pacemakers and is focussed on Piezoelectric nanogenerators using PMN-PT, ZnO and PZT. Based on a technology that converts mechanical or thermal energy from small-scale physical change into electricity, nanogenerators are an emerging option to power electronic devices. Nanogenerators have varied applications in bio-medical and other fields. The use of nanogenerators has enabled doctors to implant a new generation of devices. These devices have the capacity to stay powered for a long time with minimal body invasion. A major benefit of using nanogenerators is their ability to convert kinetic energy from bodily movement into electricity. Kinetic energy within the body is a naturally occurring and continuous source of renewable energy. Thus utilizing this source of energy to power devices proves to be beneficial to the body as well as to the environment.
In vivo cardiac power generation enabled by an integrated helical piezoelectric pacemaker lead
Nano Energy
Long-term energy supply for electronic systems is challenging for implantable biomedical devices, like cardiac pacemakers. Energy harvesting can significantly extend the lifetime of these devices, however, no clinical translational technologies can efficiently convert the mechanical energy of the heart into electrical power without a thoracotomy and interfering with the cardiovascular functions. Almost all reported implantable cardiac energy harvesting designs sutured devices directly onto the epicardium or pericardium with potential risks to the patients. Here, we report a cardiac energy harvesting strategy, which is integrated into part of the existing pacemaker lead and otherwise with no direct contact of heart, by utilizing porous piezoelectric thin films in a bioinspired selfwrapping helical configuration for flexible integration with existing implantable medical devices. We demonstrate that this compact design can be seamlessly coupled with current leads without introducing additional implantation surgeries. In vivo studies under various conditions (anchoring, pacing, and calcium chloride infusion) are presented that demonstrate clinical translation in a porcine model. Both theoretical studies and in vitro experiments are also presented to validate the energy harvesting process. The scalability of the design is discussed, and the reported results demonstrate a 10 × 10 array of helical EH devices wrapping all through the lead (a mixed pattern of in series and parallel connections) would extend the lifetime of the pacemaker battery by 1.5 years. This innovative cardiac energy harvesting strategy represents a significant step forward for clinical translation without a thoracotomy for patients, suggesting a paradigm for biomedical energy harvesting in vivo.