Fetal Pacemaker to Treat Complete Heart Block

Researchers at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and University of Southern California have reported on a tiny new pacemaker that can be implanted into a fetus when it is in the womb. //

The chances of side effects due to externally placed devices paves way for the newly developed in utero device. Pacemakers can be implanted after birth when a fetus has a complete heart block. Sometimes this can be too late and involves further waiting for the child to reach a safe weight for the procedure.

Cardiac Pacemaker for Abnormal Heart Rhythms – Types, Advantages & Risks
A pacemaker stimulates the heart with electrical signals when it detects arrhythmias of the heart. Pacemakers are classified based on the number of lead electrodes used and the type of pacing involved.

If the pacemakers are to be implanted before delivery the generator unit has to remain outside the child’s body that can be easily dislodged or infected creating its own problems due to the freely running leads.

The researchers have conducted pre-clinical testing of the device and believe it is ready for use in human trials. The FDA certified the pacemaker as a Humanitarian Use Device and initial implantations are expected in the near future.

Source-Medindia

Can Gene Therapy Generate a Cardiac Pacemaker?
Gene therapy has been employed to develop the first successful biological pacemaker in a pig model. Gene therapy can convert cardiac cells into a pacemaker.

Children With Cardiac Pacemakers Have Decreased Quality of Life
A new study has found that children living with a cardiac pacemaker have a low sense of self-competence, which may also decrease the quality of life

FDA Approves Eluna Pacemaker for Full Body MRI Scans
Powerful magnetic fields restrict patients with a pacemaker to go for an MRI but this device enables physicians to monitor their patients remotely.