Tissue-Integrated Hydrogel Battery-Enabled Electroceutical for Cardiac Arrhythmia Management

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Cardiology

Background:

• Conventional implantable devices for cardiac arrhythmia are invasive and prone to failure.
• There is a need for minimally invasive, biocompatible solutions for cardiac rhythm management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel bioadhesive hydrogel electroceutical device for cardiac arrhythmia management.
• To assess the device's integration, stability, and efficacy in modulating cardiac rhythm.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a battery-enabled electroceutical device using dynamic supermolecular hydrogels.
• Evaluation of the device's adhesion to cardiac tissue, in vivo voltage output, and immune response.
• Assessment of the device's effect on cardiomyocyte contraction, cell junction proteins, and cardiac arrhythmias in ex vivo and in vivo models.

Main Results:

• The device demonstrated strong bioadhesion (>200 J m^-2) and suture-free integration with cardiac tissue.
• Stable in vivo voltage outputs (0.90-1.17 V) were maintained for 14 days with suppressed immune response.
• Electrical stimulation enhanced cardiomyocyte contraction, promoted cell junction protein expression, and rapidly restored sinus rhythm in a rat model.

Conclusions:

• The tissue-integrated electroceutical device offers a promising, minimally invasive alternative for managing cardiac arrhythmias.
• The hydrogel-based approach enhances tissue integration and minimizes foreign-body response.
• This technology has the potential to revolutionize cardiac rhythm management during surgery.