Bioresorbable wires for pacemakers

The scientists from the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM in Dresden have teamed up with colleagues from the Faculty of Medicine at the Technical University of Dresden in the Resorbable Molybdenum Temporary Cardiac Electrodes (ReMoTe CarE) project. They are working on bioresorbable probes for pacemakers and want to reduce the risks that often occur after heart surgery, such as cardiac arrhythmias. These are traditionally treated with external pacemakers and temporary (epicardial) pacemaker probes attached to the surface of the heart. This harbours several risks per se: The manual removal of modern stainless steel probes can lead to complications, as the leads sometimes grow together with the surrounding tissue. If the probes are cut and remain in the body, there is also a risk of infection, or the remnants can migrate in the body, which may require further surgery.

In the ReMoTe CarE project, which is funded by the Else Kröner-Fresenius Centre for Digital Health in Dresden, the researchers are therefore pursuing a completely new concept: Bioresorbable pacemaker probes that deliberately remain in the body and dissolve within a certain time are to replace conventional probes in the future. The metal molybdenum, which has several advantages, serves as the basis. Molybdenum degrades evenly in the body, it is biocompatible and has high mechanical strength and electrical conductivity," says Dr Georg Pöhle, scientist at the Fraunhofer IFAM in Dresden. In addition, it is coated with biopolymers that also decompose in order to electrically insulate the surrounding tissue.

At Fraunhofer IFAM, the materials used are investigated and optimised with regard to their mechanical, electrical and degradation properties. This is where the demonstrators – strands made of fine metal wires coated with the biopolymers are created. The plan is to test them in preclinical studies at the medical faculty of TU Dresden this year.

The aim is to avoid the complications previously associated with epicardial heart thrombosis. This will not only provide great relief for patients, but could also significantly reduce the burden on healthcare staff and the healthcare system.

The first demonstrators of the self-dissolving pacemaker devices will be presented at the Fraunhofer joint stand at COMPAMED in Dusseldorf from 14 to 17 November 2022 (hall 8a, stand G10).

Source: medtech-zwo from 07.11.2022