Fetal pacemaker under development

Source：University of Southern Californi Release Date：2012-11-16 215

Medical Equipment

20 mm-long pacemaker for unborn babies with heart defect being developed

A research team from the University of Southern California (USC) Viterbi School of Engineering, Keck School of Medicine of USC, and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) has received a three-year $1-million grant from the National Institutes of Health for the development of a tiny pacemaker for unborn babies designed for fetal heart block.

Fetal heart block is a potentially fatal condition that causes an extremely slow heart rate inadequate for proper circulation. Using a pacemaker for fetal heart block isn’t a new concept, but the current technology used involves a standard pacemaker implanted in the mother and connected by wires to the baby. Since babies move around the womb, the wires get dislodged and the baby dies.

The pacemaker prototype being developed by the Viterbi USC team measures just 20 millimeters. It is implanted directly onto the fetus’ heart using a cannula in a non-invasive surgery. The researchers hope that the device, or something similar that does not involve invasive surgery, can be used by even children and adults.Ni?o/a