Dissolving bioelectronics implants can be absorbed body

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Dissolving bioelectronics: Implants that can be absorbed by the body

Temporary implants are often costly and uncomfortable for patients, but soluble bioelectronics might soon change all that.

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Quantumrun Foresight
January 31, 2023

Electronics implanted within the body can keep hearts steady, quiet tremors, and heal injuries—but at a cost. These machines are often large, intrusive devices that require surgery to implant and sometimes need to be replaced because of their size and complexity. Scientists are experimenting with dissolving implants like pacemakers to reduce these complications and risks.

Dissolving bioelectronics context

Body implants, such as pacemakers and other hardware, can lead to infections, mainly when placed near the heart, according to US-based Northwestern University researchers. One potential solution is to develop soluble bioelectronics that lessen surgical extractions, resulting in lower costs and better patient care. This way, dissolving bioelectronics can address the need for temporary implant technologies.

After a heart attack, open heart surgery, or drug overdose, some patients only require pacemakers temporarily. The standard care involves inserting a wire that stays in place for three to seven days; however, these wires can potentially become infected or dislodged. With dissolving bioelectronics, the body’s chemical processes can naturally decompose these devices.

This technology's absorbable materials allow for a wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic transient devices. These machines can be used for monitoring disease progression and therapy success, as well as electrical, pharmacological, cell therapies, and gene reprogramming. Some researchers are already looking into developing soluble sensors that can be implanted in the heart and brain to monitor impending epilepsy and heart attacks.

Disruptive impact

Northwestern University has been developing soluble implantable devices with varying use cases. In 2018, the researchers presented a biodegradable implant to speed up nerve repair after surgery. Then, in 2021 and in partnership with George Washington University, they developed a cardiac pacing device that is absorbed into the body over five to seven weeks.

This machine is applied to the heart surface during surgery and is ideal for post-surgical patients who require temporary pacing. In addition, the device draws electricity from an external source using near-field communication (NFC), eliminating the need for batteries or other cables. Lightweight and thin, the bioelectronic is only 250 microns thick. It's also soft and flexible, with electrodes that laminate onto the heart's surface to deliver an electrical pulse.

The researchers are optimistic that with continued developments, it would soon be possible to implant pacemakers through a vein or an arm. The goal is to prioritize patient comfort and allow them more movement post-surgery.

In 2022, the university invented a small, soft implant that can soothe pain without using drugs. This device could provide sufferers with a non-addictive alternative to opioids and other medications. The biocompatible machine gently wraps around nerves to deliver both precise and targeted cooling, numbing the nerves and blocking pain signals from reaching the brain. The user can activate the device remotely with an external pump, as well as increase or decrease intensity levels. Because it naturally absorbs into the body, there is no need for surgical extraction when the treatment is finished.