New pacemaker developed that uses the heartbeat to recharge its battery

By Isobel Williams via SWNS

A new pacemaker has been developed that uses the heartbeat to recharge its battery.

By generating electrical energy from the beat, the new device was able to partially recharge.

Although the beat only generated 10 percent of the energy needed for the next heartbeat, the researchers hope that their breakthrough will become the standard.

Lead author Dr. Babak Nazer of the University of Washington in Seattle said: “Our next step is to optimize materials and fabrication to improve energy harvesting efficiency, and then show we can do so consistently in long-term studies.

“When we can improve upon our 10 percent harvesting efficiency, we hope to partner with one of the major pacemaker companies to incorporate our design and housing into an existing leadless pacemaker.

“We hope to prolong battery life further and expand access of this product to younger patients, who would hopefully require fewer implants over their lifetime."

The new device is much smaller than a traditional pacemaker due to its wireless nature, measuring in at about one-third the size of a AAA battery and residing entirely in the heart’s right ventricle.

By converting mechanical energy into electrical energy, the experimental wireless pacemaker housing is able to partially recharge its battery.

Dr. Nazer added: “Just like ultrasound converts electrical voltage into pressure or sound, we can engineer similar materials onto implantable medical devices to convert the heart’s natural oscillating pressures ‘backward’ into voltage to prolong battery life.”

Up until this point, wireless pacemakers have been impractical, as it is difficult to replace the battery, often leading to patients having another put in nearby.

Traditional pacemakers have tiny wires that connect to the heart on one end and on the other end, to a generator, including the battery, just under the skin of the left shoulder.

A typical battery in both traditional and wireless pacemakers lasts six to 15 years.

Removing a wireless pacemaker is difficult since it is inside the heart, so it may be necessary to implant new pacemakers alongside the previous ones that have lost their battery charge.

In younger patients, who may require multiple pacemakers throughout their lives, this approach is impractical.

These new findings could lead to a self-charging version that is much more practical for long-term use.

Dr Kenneth Ellenbogen, the Kimmerling Professor of Cardiology at the VCU School of Medicine in Richmond, Virginia, who was not involved in the study believes these devices could be life-changing for many patients.

He said: “These new devices could also improve patients’ quality of life by requiring fewer procedures as they are smaller and last longer.”

The study was presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2023.