can science save lives with solar power?
by rick richardson
technology this week
pengju li and his colleagues at the university of chicago have created a wireless, ultrathin pacemaker that utilizes light similarly to a solar panel. because it conforms to the shape of the heart, its design reduces interference with the heart’s normal function while simultaneously eliminating the need for batteries. their findings, just released in nature, provide a novel strategy for heart pacing and other therapies requiring electrical stimulation.
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medical devices called pacemakers are inserted into the body to control cardiac rhythms. they are comprised of battery-operated electrical circuits with leads that are fixed to the heart muscle to stimulate it. leads, however, can break and cause tissue damage. once implanted, the leads’ position cannot be altered, which restricts access to various cardiac areas. because they use stiff iron electrodes, pacemakers could also cause tissue injury when they are used to regulate arrhythmia or to restart the heart after surgery.
the group aimed for a more adaptable, leadless pacemaker that could accurately stimulate various heart regions. thus, they created a device that converts light into bioelectricity, or electrical signals produced by heart cells. the new pacemaker is constructed of silicon membrane and optic fiber, which the tian lab and colleagues at the university of chicago pritzker school of molecular engineering have spent years developing. it is thinner than a human hair.
this pacemaker is driven by light, just like solar panels.
to regulate heartbeats accurately, researchers changed their device to create power only at points where light strikes, in contrast to normal solar cells, which are typically designed to capture as much energy as possible. to achieve this, a coating of minuscule pores, capable of capturing both light and electrical current, was employed. only heart muscles in contact with pores triggered by light are stimulated.
the gadget may be implanted without opening the chest because it is lightweight and compact. researchers successfully implanted the device in the heart muscles of mice and an adult pig, where the pacemaker successfully timed their heartbeats. given the structural similarities between pig and human hearts, this achievement shows the device’s potential human application.
why it matters
globally, heart disease is the primary cause of death. over 2 million people have open heart surgery each year to treat cardiac conditions, including the implantation of devices that control cardiac rhythms and stave off heart attacks.
with the device’s innovative ultralight design, the heart’s surface may be gently conformed for less intrusive stimulation, better pacing and synchronous contraction. the device can be implanted through a minimally invasive procedure, reducing postoperative trauma and recovery time.
what still isn’t known
at the moment, the technique works best when used initially for ventricular defibrillation, heart attacks and heart restarts. the research team is still investigating its durability and long-term consequences on the human body.
the heart’s continuous mechanical action disturbs the body’s interior environment, which is rich in fluids. over time, this can jeopardize the device’s functionality.
researchers still do not fully understand the body’s response to extended exposure to medical equipment. after implantation, scar tissue may grow around the device, reducing its sensitivity. to reduce the possibility of rejection, researchers are creating unique surface treatments and biomaterial coatings.
while silicic acid, a harmless material the body may safely absorb, is produced when the device breaks down, assessing the body’s reaction to prolonged implantation is crucial to guarantee both safety and efficacy.
what’s next?
researchers are fine-tuning the rate at which the device dissolves naturally in the body to accomplish long-term implantation and customize the device to each patient. improvements are being investigated to enable it to function as a wearable pacemaker, which entails incorporating a wireless light-emitting diode or led under the skin that is optically coupled to the apparatus.
their ultimate aim is to extend the use of photo electroceuticals outside of cardiac treatment. this covers the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, including parkinson’s disease, with neurostimulation, neuroprostheses and pain management.