Synchronized Biventricular Heart Pacing Using Wirelessly Powered Leadless Pacemakers (Cases 2019-237 & 2020-401)

Summary:

UCLA researchers in the department of electrical and computer engineering have developed a device for synchronized biventricular pacing.

Background:

Many patients with impaired cardiac function suffer from ventricular desynchrony, a condition that involves a lack of synchronization between the contractions of the left and right ventricles of the heart. Treatment requires cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Conventional CRT relies on multi-chamber pacing using implanted devices to restore cardiac function. This approach is limited by high non-responder rates due to complications from device insertion. One major issue with the current standard of care is that these devices often rely on transvenous leads for a power source. Such devices are often bulky, requiring invasive surgery for insertion that can result in tissue damage. This can lead to undesired complications such as device rejection and blood vessel obstruction. There remains an unmet need for a wirelessly powered, leadless, small implantable device for CRT.

Innovation:

UCLA researchers in the department of electrical and computer engineering developed a miniature, wirelessly powered pacemaker for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). The device consists of two pacemakers that are implanted on the left and right ventricles and can be individually controlled using frequency selection. The devices have ultra-low power consumption, increasing the operative distance of the implant and eliminating the need for transvenous insertion. This technology is operated using electromagnetic fields for power transfer, allowing for a battery-free pacemaker. The proposed innovation provides an efficient and minimally invasive approach in cardiac therapies.   

Potential Applications:

• Cardiac resynchronization
• Minimally invasive cardiac pacing
• Ultra-low power implantable devices
• Flexible biomedical devices

Advantages:

• Miniature (11mm²)
• Wireless & leadless
• Battery-free
• Flexible & lightweight (90mg)
• Operational at ultra-low power
• Increased operating distance

Development To Date: Successful demonstration of technology is complete; device patented:

11,071,857: Systems and methods for wireless treatment of arrhythmias

11,911,625: Systems and methods for controlling wirelessly powered leadless pacemakers

Reference:

UCLA Case Nos. 2019-237 & 2020-401

Relevant Publications:

1. An Energy-Efficient Wirelessly Powered Millimeter-Scale Neurostimulator Implant Based on Systematic Codesign of an Inductive Loop Antenna and a Custom Rectifier H Lyu, J Wang, JH La, JM Chung, A Babakhani, IEEE transactions on biomedical circuits and systems, 1-13. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8417452
    
2. Wirelessly powered implantable pacemaker with on-chip antenna Y Sun, B Greet, D Burkland, M John, M Razavi, A Babakhani Microwave Symposium (IMS), 2017 IEEE MTT-S International, 1242-1244. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/805883