Developers: | Northwestern University, George Washington University |
Date of the premiere of the system: | August 2023 |
2023: Product Announcement
On July 5, 2021, American researchers from Northwestern University and George Washington University announced the development of a new implantable device for monitoring heart activity.
Experts say that in the United States alone, about 700 thousand people die from cardiovascular diseases every year. Moreover, one third of these deaths occur as a result of complications in the first weeks or months after a traumatic heart-related event. Many of the fatalities that occur after heart surgery or heart attack could have been prevented if doctors had better tools to monitor and treat patients. The new development paves the way for solving these problems.
A soft, flexible device the size of a postage stamp uses a variety of sensors to gather information about how the heart works. The article may be secured to an organ surface in an area during primary cardiovascular surgery. After that, doctors will be able to quickly receive information about the activities of the heart and, in case of danger, take the necessary measures. The sensor pad has transparency, which allows clinicians to visualize the heart using standard methods. Moreover, the novelty is capable of performing the functions of a pacemaker, allowing, if necessary, to restore a normal heart rhythm.
The device is made of biocompatible materials. It can function for a clinically significant period of several weeks or months. After that, the product is completely decomposed, and therefore a second operation is not required to remove it. This will help reduce healthcare costs and improve patient outcomes by avoiding complications after surgical extraction and reducing the risk of infection.[1]