A Pacemaker the Size of a Grain of Rice

28 ottobre 2025

1 min di lettura

Biomedical engineering is constantly evolving, and innovations appear that radically change the usual approaches to treatment. One of the latest of these developments is a pacemaker smaller than a grain of rice.

Punti chiave

Biomedical engineering is constantly evolving, and innovations appear that radically change the usual approaches to treatment.
It can't get any smaller
Disappears without a trace

Per chi è

Chi esplora Ornament blog attraverso heart, technologies.

Perché è importante

Questo articolo ti aiuta a orientarti rapidamente, per poi passare a una raccolta o serie se vuoi continuare.

Autore dell'articolo

Alina

Medical Columnist, Ornament

It can't get any smaller

A miniature pacemaker measuring 1.8 x 3.5 x 1 mm was created by scientists from Northwestern University in the United States. It is implanted in the heart with a syringe and synchronized with an external portable device that constantly monitors the heart rhythm.

When irregularities are detected, the device automatically emits pulses of infrared light that penetrate the patient's skin, sternum and muscles and activate the pacemaker. It, in turn, generates the electrical impulses necessary to normalize the heart rhythm. Despite its size, this pacemaker is as effective as a full-size pacemaker.

Moreover, it is possible to implant several of these devices in different areas of the heart and control them independently of each other using light of different colors.

Disappears without a trace

Another important advantage of this unique device is that, having fulfilled its function, it naturally dissolves in the body. All its components are biocompatible and over time disintegrate in body fluids. This helps to avoid subsequent surgical removal and, consequently, various complications such as infection, bleeding, tissue damage and blood clots.

Fully autonomous

In order to achieve the microscopic size of the pacemaker, scientists had to pay special attention to its battery. It is a galvanic cell that converts the chemical energy of our body fluids into electrical energy.

Application for children

Tiny temporary pacemakers are particularly important in the context of pediatric cardiac surgery, as approximately 1 % of newborns have various heart defects. After surgery, these babies need temporary stimulation for about a week. Thereafter, most babies recover on their own, but the first seven days are critical.

Great prospects

The innovative development goes far beyond cardiology and can be used to heal nerves, bones and complex wounds as well as block chronic pain and more.

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