World’s Tiniest Pacemaker….Disappears When No Longer Needed

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIxG51cNwcz/This rice-grain-sized pacemaker is so tiny it can be injected through a syringe.  Its unique construction permits it to dissolve naturally in the body after it’s no longer needed. Northwestern University bioengineers describe their invention in the journal Nature,This mini pacemaker is constructed of bio-resorbable materials similar to those used for dissolving sutures. Its function is activated by light pulses from a soft, wireless wearable control patch placed on the chest. When the control patch detects an abnormal rhythm, it sends infrared light through the skin to trigger and control the electric pulses from the pacemaker.  The device draws power from the body’s own fluids via a galvanic cell, a tiny internal battery. This micro-pacemaker is a major advancement, as current temporary pacemakers require wires that must pass through the chest triggering infections or bleeding. It was designed with babies in mind, but it works in hearts of any size.  It could be deployed in adult patients requiring temporary pacing after surgery or during recovery from cardiac events.  Hopefully this tiniest of cardiac pacemakers will be available to assist the hearts of patients…..someday soon.https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-04-world-smallest-pacemaker-inserted-syringe.html#google_vignettehttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08726-4#pacemaker #dissolving #lightactivated #children #cardiology