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British Scientists have invented a new type of medical heart pacemaker that draws some of its power from the heart itself. This is an important breakthrough in the field of self powered devices which can be implanted into the human body.

Although the discovery was part of an experimental project, it is an important breakthrough in UK pacemaker research which could bring benefits to the design and manufacture of heart pacemakers, defibrillators and other implantable medical devices.

The research was carried out at Southampton University Hospital in the United Kingdom, and produced a device which was capable of producing approximately 17 percent of all the electricity required to run the pacemaker from the energy of the beating heart.

Battery free pacemaker within a few years

According to Dr Paul Roberts from the University Hospital ‘This was a proof-of-concept study, and we proved the concept’. The researchers believe that a battery-free heart pacemaker could be available within the next few years, which will reduce the long term pacemaker cost and help to reduce pacemaker problems.

Heart Pacemakers are fitted to people who suffer from abnormal heart rhythms – also known as arrhythmia – under the advice of a doctor or cardiologist. Arrhythmia, although not usually serious can be a distressing complaint where the heart beats slower or faster than normal, or beats erratically, which can be very worrying for the sufferer. In very rare cases the arrhythmia can be fatal, with as many as 500 deaths per year attributable to the condition in the United Kingdom each year.

Pacemaker technology

The heart pacemaker is a small, battery powered electronic medical device which is usually surgically implanted under the collar bone of the pacemaker patient. It works by sending precisely timed electrical impulses to the heart to control the rate of the heart’s beating, and keep it to a constant rate.

Another type of device – also implanted, is the cardioverter defibrillator which is similar to the pacemaker, but is capable of detecting dangerous abnormal heart rhythms. It then sends small electric shocks to the heart to correct the problem arrhythmia. There are also other special types of pacemaker for tachycardia, or a bradycardia pacemaker, or ones used to help to treat heart failure are available.

Pacemaker battery replacement currently requires a surgical operation

In all of the above examples, although the battery life varies between different manufacturer’s pacemaker types, it will usually need replacing after eight to ten years.

The pacemaker procedure for battery replacement involves another surgical operation that has to be performed under general anaesthetic sedation.

This is a costly operation, costing as much as 15,000 dollars or more, so the arrival of a battery free pacemaker is eagerly awaited by the medical profession, and health insurance
companies worldwide.