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Updated: Jul 16, 2026
Translational Rabbit Model of Chronic Cardiac Pacing
Published on: January 6, 2023
Cutaneous integration of a new wireless transcutaneous energy transfer system for durable long-term ventricular
Joakim Håkansson1, Kristján Jónsson2, Bengt Bern3
1Division of Materials and Production, Medical Device and Diagnostics, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Brinellgatan 4, 504 62 Borås, Sweden; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Abstract:
Driveline infections remain a major complication of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) systems. This study evaluated the surgical implantation of a novel wireless transcutaneous energy transfer implant designed to eliminate driveline-associated infections by achieving durable cutaneous integration. Nine pigs were used across 4 trials to optimize implant geometry and surgical methods. Early prototypes caused skin necrosis due to excessive stretching, which was mitigated by increasing pocket size but led to seroma formation. A final implant design with reduced cross-sectional area and refined surgical approach eliminated both necrosis and seroma, achieving stable skin integration during a 14-day follow-up. Infections occurred in some cases, primarily attributed to limitations of the animal model. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of safe cutaneous integration of a wireless transcutaneous implant and establish the basis for long-term preclinical evaluation toward fully implantable ventricular assist device systems without percutaneous drivelines.
