Inductively powered wireless pacing via a miniature pacemaker and remote stimulation control system

TLDR

Pacemakers have long restored cardiac rhythms, but lead‑related complications remain; leadless devices reduce some risks yet introduce battery hazards, and inductive power transfer offers wireless operation but is limited by SAR and size constraints that reduce efficiency. The study aimed to develop a remote‑controlled pacing system that lowers power demands by intermittently transferring energy to control stimulation intervals. This was achieved by miniaturizing the cardiac component for intravascular placement, employing a half‑cylinder circular receiver coil with a meandering tail to maximize efficiency, and testing the pacemaker in a pig at 60 bpm, 2 V, 1 ms, which restored mean arterial pressure from 0 to 37 mmHg. The device consumed only 1 mW at distances >3 cm with no misalignment and at 2 cm with 45° angular misalignments, demonstrating a low‑power, remote‑controlled miniaturized pacing system that provides a foundation for future wireless implantable devices.

Abstract

Abstract Pacemakers have existed for decades as a means to restore cardiac electrical rhythms. However, lead-related complications have remained a clinical challenge. While market-released leadless devices have addressed some of the issues, their pacer-integrated batteries cause new health risks and functional limitations. Inductive power transfer enables wireless powering of bioelectronic devices; however, Specific Absorption Rate and size limitations reduce power efficiency for biomedical applications. We designed a remote-controlled system in which power requirements were significantly reduced via intermittent power transfer to control stimulation intervals. In parallel, the cardiac component was miniaturized to facilitate intravascular deployment into the anterior cardiac vein. Given size constraints, efficiency was optimal via a circular receiver coil wrapped into a half-cylinder with a meandering tail. The pacemaker was epicardially tested in a euthanized pig at 60 beats per minute, 2 V amplitude, and 1 ms pulse width, restoring mean arterial pressure from 0 to 37 mmHg. Power consumption was 1 mW at a range of > 3 cm with no misalignment and at 2 cm with 45° displacement misalignment, 45° x-axis angular misalignment, or 45° y-axis angular misalignment. Thus, we demonstrated a remote-controlled miniaturized pacing system with low power consumption, thereby providing a basis for the next generation of wireless implantable devices.