Researchers at Northwestern and George Washington universities (GW) have developed the first-ever transient pacemaker – a wireless, battery-free, fully implantable pacing device that disappears after it’s no longer needed.

The thin, flexible, lightweight device could be used in patients who need temporary pacing after cardiac surgery or while waiting for a permanent pacemaker. All components of the pacemaker are biocompatible and naturally absorb into the body’s biofluids over the course of five to seven weeks, without needing surgical extraction.

The device wirelessly harvests energy from an external, remote antenna using near-field communication protocols – the same technology used in smartphones for electronic payments and in RFID tags. This eliminates the need for bulky batteries and rigid hardware, including wires (or leads). Not only can leads introduce infections, they also can become enveloped in scar tissue, causing further damage when removed.

The study was published June 28 in the journal Nature Biotechnology. The paper demonstrates the device’s efficacy across a series of large and small animal models.

“Hardware placed in or near the heart creates risks for infection and other complications,” says Northwestern’s John A. Rogers, who led the device’s development. “Our wireless, transient pacemakers overcome key disadvantages of traditional temporary devices by eliminating the need for percutaneous leads for surgical extraction procedures – thereby offering the potential for reduced costs and improved outcomes in patient care. This unusual type of device could represent the future of temporary pacing technology.”

“Sometimes patients only need pacemakers temporarily, perhaps after an open heart surgery, heart attack or drug overdose,” says Dr. Rishi Arora, a cardiologist at Northwestern Medicine who co-led the study. “After the patient’s heart is stabilized, we can remove the pacemaker. The current standard of care involves inserting a wire, which stays in place for three to seven days. These have potential to become infected or dislodged.”

© Northwestern University/George Washington University | 
https://news.northwestern.edu/

“The transient electronics platform opens an entirely new chapter in medicine and biomedical research,” says GW’s Igor Efimov, who co-led the study with Rogers and Arora. “The bioresorbable materials at the foundation of this technology make it possible to create whole host of diagnostic and therapeutic transient devices for monitoring progression of diseases and therapies, delivering electrical, pharmacological, cell therapies, gene reprogramming, and more.”

Rogers is the Louis Simpson and Kimberly Querrey Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Biomedical Engineering and Neurological Surgery in the McCormick School of Engineering and Feinberg School of Medicine and the director of the Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics. Arora is a professor of medicine at Feinberg and co-director of the Center for Arrhythmia Research. Efimov is the Alisann and Terry Collins Professor of Biomedical Engineering at GW.

Ditching restrictive, risky leads
Currently, to set up a temporary pacing after open heart surgery, surgeons must sew on temporary pacemaker electrodes on the heart muscle during surgery. These have leads that exit the front of a patient’s chest, connecting to an external pacing box that delivers a current to control the heart’s rhythm.

When the temporary pacemaker is no longer needed, physicians remove the pacemaker electrodes. Although uncommon, potential complications of implanted temporary pacemakers include infection, dislodgement, torn or damaged tissues, bleeding and blood clots.

With Northwestern and GW’s transient pacemaker, surgeons and patients can sidestep this potentially risky procedure. The fully implantable device is light and thin – 250 microns thick and weighing less than half a gram. Soft and flexible, it encapsulates electrodes that softly laminate onto the heart’s surface to deliver an electrical pulse.

“Instead of using wires that can get infected and dislodged, we can implant this leadless biocompatible pacemaker,” Arora says. “The circuitry is implanted directly on the surface of the heart, and we can activate it remotely. Over a period of weeks, this new type of pacemaker ‘dissolves’ or degrades on its own, thereby avoiding the need for physical removal of the pacemaker electrodes. This is potentially a major victory for post-operative patients.

“With further modifications, it eventually may be possible to implant such bioresorbable pacemakers through a vein in the leg or arm,” he adds. “In this instance, it also may be possible to provide temporary pacing to patients who have suffered a heart attack or to patients undergoing catheter-based procedures, such as trans-catheter aortic valve replacement.”

Prioritizing patient comfort
Northwestern Medicine cardiac surgeon Dr. Duc Thinh Pham, who was not involved with the research, imagines a transient pacemaker undoubtedly would make his patients more comfortable. With current pacemakers, patients often feel discomfort for days after the leads are inserted. Then, they must limit their movements and activities to prevent the leads from dislodging.

“This transient pacemaker is brilliant,” says Pham, who has performed more than 2,000 cardiac surgeries throughout his career. “In addition to addressing the primary issue of occasional post-cardiac surgery patients needing temporary pacing due to blockages or arrhythmias, the device addresses the secondary issue of patient comfort, ability to move freely and rehabilitate. If successful, this device will greatly improve a patient’s post-operative course.”

Disappearing act
This is the second example of bioresorbable electronic medicine from the Rogers lab, which has been studying transient electronics for over a decade. In 2018, Rogers and colleagues demonstrated the world’s first bioresorbable electronic device – a biodegradable implant that speeds nerve regeneration. The team’s bioresorbable devices are completely harmless – similar to absorbable stitches. After fully degrading, the devices completely disappear through the body’s natural biological processes.

“There is clearly a need for better temporary cardiac pacemakers,” says Dr. Bradley Knight, the Chester C. and Deborah M. Cooley Distinguished Professor of Cardiology at Feinberg and coauthor of the study. “When I first learned about the bioresorbable nerve stimulator, I contacted Professor Rogers to explore the possibility of using this technology to pace the heart. He had already started working with Dr. Efimov to develop a small version of a bioresorbable pacemaker as a proof of concept. We then worked with both teams to develop a larger version of a bioresorbable, leadless, cardiac pacemaker that could be effective on a human scale. It’s a great example of what we can create at Northwestern by bridging the expertise in engineering and medicine.”

Depending on the patient, a temporary pacemaker might be needed anywhere from a couple days to several weeks. By varying the composition and thickness of the materials in the device, Rogers’ team can control the precise number of days it remains functional before dissolving.

“We build these devices out of different types of safe, bioresorbable materials and in optimized architectures to ensure stable operation over a time period somewhat longer than is clinically necessary,” Rogers says. “We can tailor the devices to address a broad spectrum of relevant lifetimes. Transient technologies, in general, could someday provide therapy or treatment for a wide variety of medical conditions – serving, in a sense, as an engineering form of medicine.”

The paper, “Fully bioresorbable, leadless, battery-free cardiac pacemaker,” was supported by the Leducq Foundation (RHYTHM award), National Institutes of Health (award numbers R01-HL141470, R01-HL140061 and R01-HL125881), the American Heart Association (award number 19PRE34380781, AF SFRN), the National Science Foundation (award number 1842165) and the Ford Foundation. The paper’s co-first authors are Yeon Sik Choi, Rose Yin, Jahyun Koo and Anna Pfenniger.

One of the world’s leading manufacturers of medical products has found durability and dependability with igus chainflex cables on a long-travel basket loader for baby nutritional drinks.

Abbott Labs installed 33ft and 20ft chainflex cables on a basket loader after cables on the previous units failed after three months. The units complete 1,500 cycles per day.

The loader has a moving carriage with a track above it that places bottles into a basket at the end of the packaging cycle. The head attached to the carriage includes sensors and other electronics. The cable that had been installed to communicate with the carriage needed replacement after three months. A customized, and more costly, solution installed in an effort to gain more extended service life failed after four months.

“Because it is moving from end to end, the loader was causing a lot of wear on the cables and it just kept wearing out,” says Todd Mumford, a senior manufacturing engineer who works in the Abbott Nutrition Supply Chain in Columbus, Ohio. “We had to replace the cable every three months and we had to make sure we replaced it before it failed.”

Problem solver
With the frequent monitoring and replacement of the cable, the team at Abbott sought a more enduring solution.

An electrician new to the Abbott team recommended a switch to the igus chainflex cables. Mumford doubted the durability of the igus cables but found them to be much more reliable than previous parts. “We don’t have the downtime that we had in the past,” he says.

The igus cables used in the application have an unsupported travel distance of up to 1,312ft and are guaranteed for up to 10,000,000 cycles. igus CFBUS cables are used for very high mechanical load requirements and include a TPE outdoor jacket. The shielded cables are oil and bio-oil resistant, flame retardant and hydrolysis and microbe-resistant, which are critical features in this application. The cables also have a 10x d bend radius.

The solution for this project included customized CFBUS-301 cables. CFBUS cables are used in a wide range of applications, including high-bay warehouses, indoor cranes, semiconductor insertion, cleanroom, and machine handling.

Long-lasting cable
The replacement cable in the unit is still operating efficiently, more than 18 months after it was installed.

“For this application, the primary benefit is the long life,” Mumford says. “It can bend a lot tighter and a lot more times than the cable we had been using. We expect we will get at least two years out of the cable. I was shocked at how well it has done.”

Abbott is a global healthcare leader whose portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading business and products in diagnostics, nutritional and branded generic medicines.

For more information about igus cables, please visit the igus website.

Increased innovation, digital presence
Motion plastics leader sees 30% online growth amid worldwide pandemic

An increase in the pace of innovation and emphasis on expanding its digital presence in the face of a worldwide pandemic helped igus increase online sales by 30% in 2020.

Innovations range from telescopic robot tube packages to dry-running ball bearings with 21x the standard service life to large scale 3D printing. Engineers and OEMs can find 168 innovations from all departments at igus 2021 Motion Plastics Show. The virtual trade show booth is at https://exhibition.igus.com/

“Even in the wake of the global virus, our bold and swift steps helped igus remain in the forefront of innovation and providing unparalleled customer service,” says Rick Abbate, vice president of igus North America. Online sales in the U.S. mirrored that of the global growth, rocketing up more than double during the pandemic. “Our company’s customer-focused culture helped us navigate through a period of uncertainty that impacted businesses the world over,” Abbate says.

Product innovation
At the Hannover Messe Digital edition in April, igus unveiled 168 new products and product extensions, more than ever before. Its range of new Tech Up, Cost Down products stretched across a wide range of industries and applications.

After two years of development, the ReBeL, a new robot drive element, allows customers to construct their own robot arms quickly and cost-effectively from a modular kit. The core of the ReBeL is a greatly improved plastic gearbox. An integrated BLDC electric motor with power electronics can be connected to various controls. In addition, a suitable low-cost control system from igus is available free of charge as a download, so that the automation can be simulated in advance.

In the field of “large” industrial robotics, igus launched the TRX energy supply system, a solution that rethinks the subject of robot hose packs. The energy supply system twists, lengthens and shortens in a spiral, and cables are inserted in the form of a spiral. This enables a weight savings of 83% on the 3rd axis, in less than half the space.

In lubrication-free and maintenance-free bearing technology, engineers at igus achieved a breakthrough in service life. In the application cases of low loads and high speeds, this was increased by a factor of 21.

Expanding online capabilities
A significant amount of financial and intellectual capital went into online shops and online tools. All website shopping outlets were renewed and made more informative for customers. New online tools for the configuration and calculation of gears, rollers, linear modules and stepper motors are accessible on the internet free of charge and without registration.

In May 2020, igus introduced a virtual trade-booth stand that has been located in an exhibition hall in Cologne Porz-Lind. It was recognized with the iF Design Award.

"We are in our second year without trade shows,” igus CEO Frank Blase says. "This time we can start the presentation of our new products at full digital speed."

The new trade show stand has been optimized based on experience gained in virtual customer consultation and tours last year. Solutions for various industries can be seen in separate areas at the stand, which established the industry standard for virtual trade show booth displays.

The orange trade show stand has hosted 55,000 visitors worldwide. Another 16,000 visitors have also taken advantage of a digital visit with igus specialists.

"We would normally have been represented at 222 trade shows and conventions last year, but we only made a total of 26,” Blase said. "So we are very happy that the stand has become a fixed part of daily communication with customers."

Plastic becomes a sustainable resource
While innovating products and expanding digital capacities, igus also continued to develop products that have less impact on the environment during use, are produced in a CO2 neutral manner, and recycled afterward. A new building currently under construction will be climate neutral from the outset, and this will apply to the entire igus factory by 2025.

To further reduce emissions, igus is investing in modern technologies. For example, injection moulding machines that save up to 40 percent energy and are barely audible have been purchased in large numbers.

In addition to mechanical recycling of energy chains, igus also relies on new types of chemical recycling. The company increased its investment in Mura Technology to €5 million. Mura's HydroPRS technology converts plastic waste back into oil. Investments increased by 29 percent overall in 2020.

A year of change
The year saw extreme change for igus in many areas. For instance, the early expansion of machine and raw material warehouse capacities in the third quarter of 2020 enables fast delivery times in the rapid recovery phase of the current engineering climate.

At the same time, igus expanded its stock at every location in the world. In addition to the USA with 23,000 individual parts and Europe with 88,000, 21,000 parts are now available in China in 24 to 48 hours and are assembled by igus in millions of models. The offer of easy online configuration and ordering together with the short delivery time was welcomed by many customers.

While sales fell 4.8 percent for the company overall, aggressive innovation and expanded online options for purchasing, testing, and configuring place the company in a positive marketplace position in the post-pandemic business environment.

"Politics, technology, mobility, entertainment, climate and health - the world is changing rapidly at the moment,” Blase says. "We want to be active shapers. So I am proud of the igus colleagues for how they have applied themselves, changed and improved during these times."

Our offices will be closed today as we recognize Labor Day, the creation of the labor movement and its dedication to the social and economic achievements of American workers. We hope everyone stays safe and has a nice, relaxing holiday.

September 16, 2021

Manufacturing Lunch & Learn September

• Circle Segment Tools Defined
• Tool Types and Applications
• CAM Software Requirement
• Why Choose Circle Segment over Ball Mills or Conventional Finishing Strategies (and when not to)
• Real-Life Application Examples

September 22, 2021

Today's metrology delivers manufacturing efficiencies, quality assurance

This roundtable event will focus on the latest advancements in metrology including:

• Coordinate-measuring machines (CMMs) featuring high-precision probes to feed data into reports
• Laser scanners – hand-held or mounted on portable robot arms – for measuring parts on the production line
• X-ray computed tomography (CT) equipment – useful for checking 3D-printed parts – CT scanners inspect parts inside and out, detecting any flaws and assuring parts meet their CAD requirements
• Structured blue light 3D scanners – providing precision scans with detailed resolution at high speeds

October 6, 2021

Anatomy of an M&A Deal – From Analysis to Valuation

Selling or acquiring a business might be one of the biggest business/financial decision a business owner can make. If you are a seller, you might be selling a company that you have successfully built and grown over decades. If you are an acquirer buying a business to add to yours might be the difference between a slower organic growth and quickly becoming a major player in your segment. There is a huge impact for whatever side you are on. As a seller, you know what you have put into growing your business. You want to be rewarded for it, and rightfully so. What are valuation expectations from companies <$10 million; between $10 million and $50 million; >$50 million, etc. What might drive valuation for your business? Perhaps it may be in terms of multiples of your revenues, or your EBITDA? Or, is it altogether a totally different equation based on strategic fit and the market segment you are in? And once you decide to sell, what is the process to find out the true valuation? As we know, the market ALWAYS decides the real valuation of any enterprise by the actual amounts someone is willing to pay for it. What steps should you think about in your M&A process to increase your opportunity to maximize your business value when you sell it? What type of M&A Advisor should you consider? How long is an optimal M&A process? So, what is the likely valuation of a business and what does it take to sell it? From the beginning of the process all the way to a successful transaction, join MedWorld Advisors' CEO Florence Joffroy-Black and Managing Director Dave Sheppard as they discuss this very specific subject.

October 20, 2021

No Supports Metal Printing: Discover How to Get Highly Optimized Parts with Greater Design Freedom with Reduced Support Build Strategies

Past methods for supporting metal additive manufactured (AM) parts have imposed limitations on part design. The increased complexity associated with removing supports has added cost and lead time to the process, and some parts and applications have even been disqualified from AM due to support-based issues. Together with 3D Systems’ leading expertise and machine platforms, our 3DXpert software package has advanced metal AM capabilities to help expand your design envelope with features such as multi-exposure and thermal blades to help you realize the goal of no supports. Multi-exposure can drastically reduce the self-supporting angle while maintaining a high-quality surface finish, and thermal blades provide a structure to transfer heat and control the weld process for the lowest-angle features without welding to the part. Topics covered in this webinar include:

• The historical challenge of minimum support angles
• 3DXpert tools for advanced segmentation and parameter assignment
• Multi-exposure strategies
• Thermal blades strategies