Europe to launch tiny, wireless pacemaker

The European Union has recently approved the use of a tiny and wireless pacemaker. This pacemaker does not require invasive surgery to be implanted because it is small enough to be intravenously inserted directly in the heart. Even though the design is relatively new, experts find this type of technology to be a very "exciting development." The new pacemaker was created by a start up company named Nanostim from the United States. It is smaller than the conventional pacemaker by 10 percent and is charged by a built in battery. The tiny pacemaker is implanted using a catheter that is inserted into the femoral vein by the groin. The built-in battery, which is much smaller than an AAA battery, can last between nine and 13 years. The procedure to get the device fitted takes only around half an hour. Since the procedure does not require surgery, patients will not have a scar. Even though this device has yet to receive full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), experts believe that it could change how conventional pacemakers are used

Patients who received donated pacemakers survive without complications (USA)

"Patients who received refurbished pacemakers donated from Detroit area funeral homes survived without complications from the devices, according to a case series reported by the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Centre. The pacemakers were implanted in 12 patients at the University of Philippines - Philippine General Hospital who could not afford advanced cardiac care and were confined to their beds as they waited for a permanent pacemaker. All donated pacemakers functioned normally at six months, and most importantly there were no device complications such as infections. The study appears online ahead of print in the 13 October issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology"

Towards a natural pacemaker

Artificial heart pacemakers have saved and extended the lives of thousands of people, but they have their shortcomings - such as a fixed pulse rate and a limited life. Could a permanent biological solution be possible? Richard Robinson and colleagues at New York's Columbia and Stony Brook Universities certainly think so, and their work published in the latest issue of The Journal of Physiology brings the dream a step closer to reality - Physorg.com

Next-Gen pacemakers could be powered by heartbeats

"An experimental study finds a beating heart may produce enough energy to power an implantable pacemaker or defibrillator.
 British researchers used a microgenerator powered by heartbeats, and found the heart was able to provide 17 percent of the power needed to run an implantable pacemaker. A pacemaker works by sending electrical signals to the heart to either slow down or speed up cardiac rhythms, while an implantable cardioverter defibrillator signals the heart to normalize its rhythm if it begins beating too fast or too slow. The study's findings may lead to a new generation of pacemakers that incorporate the new technology, resulting in more durable devices with added functionality that help manage the heart, the researchers said Monday. 'This was a proof-of-concept study, and we provided the concept,' said Paul Roberts, M.D., first author of the study and a Consultant Electrophysiologist at Southampton University Hospital in the United Kingdom. The researchers presented their findings at the American Heart Association meeting in New Orleans" - redOrbit