# A Fully Biodegradable, Implantable, Wireless, Battery-free, Miniaturized Cardiac Pacemaker with Closed-loop System for Neonatal and Pediatric Patients

> **NIH NIH K99** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $103,136

## Abstract

Project Summary
Despite the advancements in pacemaker technology, most pacemaking systems are designed for adults.
The conventional implantable pacemakers are anatomically incompatible for neonatal and pediatric patients,
causing therapeutic limitations and several short-term and/or long-term inconveniences. For example, current
clinical external temporary pacemakers with percutaneous pacing leads for premature neonatal patients (<
2kg) have very limited days of use due to the risk of infection at the site where the electrodes penetrate the
skin. Moreover, the dislodgement of these percutaneous leads is associated with many further
complications1,2. When a permanent pacemaker is required, the device is incompatible in size for neonatal
and pediatric patients, and the rapid growth of the child’s body creates pressures on the device that can
cause fracturing in the leads at the tissue-electrode junction3. As a result, young patients must undergo more
frequent interventions than adults to adapt their pacemaking devices to their changing anatomy4,5. However,
extraction and replacement of pacemaker components is a complex surgical procedure with unavoidable
risks, including tearing the surrounding blood vessel, perforating the heart, blood clot lodging in the lung, and
eventual loss of vascular access4,6.
 We recently demonstrated an entirely biodegradable and biocompatible wireless electrical stimulator
for neuroregenerative therapy7. Our successful experiments have led to the hypothesis that this approach of
electrical stimulation will enable the development of a novel biodegradable cardiac pacemaker for neonatal
and pediatric patients. The proposed miniaturized device (< 10 x 10 mm2,< 100 mg) will provide not only a
wireless, battery-free means of pacing at the epicardium but also personalized device lifetime by resorbing
after a defined time interval (6 days ~ 1+ year), thereby enabling therapeutic treatment without infection and
reducing the risk of dislodgement. Additionally, we will develop a wireless, skin-interfaced controller with
functions of real-time ECG monitoring, pacemaker powering, and Bluetooth communication. Pairing the skin-
interfaced controller with the biodegradable pacemaker will realize a wireless, closed-loop system for
autonomous cardiac electrotherapy and allow young patients to move freely during treatment.
 The development of the biodegradable cardiac pacemaker with a closed-loop system will create a
pathway for new directions in biodegradable electronics for clinical use, including therapeutic and diagnostic
implants. My mentors and research collaborators are experts in the design and fabrication of biomedical
devices, cardiac electrophysiology, and cardiac surgery. This team of experts will help me to develop my full
potential and launch my career as an independent, clinically inspired, biomedical engineering researcher,
working to improve patient outcomes.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10477206
- **Project number:** 5K99HL155844-02
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Yeonsik Choi
- **Activity code:** K99 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $103,136
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-08-30 → 2022-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10477206

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10477206, A Fully Biodegradable, Implantable, Wireless, Battery-free, Miniaturized Cardiac Pacemaker with Closed-loop System for Neonatal and Pediatric Patients (5K99HL155844-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10477206. Licensed CC0.

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