Injectable Flexible Subcutaneous Electrode Array Technology for Electrocardiogram Monitoring Device

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Cardiovascular Technology
• Medical Device Innovation

Background:

• Implantable cardiac monitors (ICMs) are increasingly small but still carry risks like infection and device migration.
• Existing ICMs require invasive surgical procedures for implantation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the feasibility of a novel, injectable, subcutaneous microelectrode-based device for electrocardiogram (ECG) recording.
• To assess the safety and efficacy of this new cardiac monitoring technology.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a small, flexible, injectable microelectrode array.
• In vivo implantation and ECG recording in a swine model.
• Analysis of the device's ability to detect cardiac wave components (P, R, T waves).

Main Results:

• Successful demonstration of the injectable ECG device's ease of insertion in a swine model.
• High-density microelectrode array effectively detected P, R, and T waves.
• Excellent correlation observed between wave amplitude and bipolar electrode distance.

Conclusions:

• The injectable ECG device is feasible and demonstrates potential for improved safety compared to traditional ICMs.
• The simplified implantation procedure could enable cardiac monitoring in primary care settings.
• This technology offers a promising alternative for safer and more accessible cardiac monitoring.