GimmickNG t1_ir1m4mh wrote on October 4, 2022 at 5:53 PM

Reply to comment by Aanar in Georgia doctor implants one of the first wireless, dual chamber pacemakers: New type of pacemaker is safer option than traditional surgery by universityofga

From the OP,

> The wireless pacemaker is about 90% smaller than the average pacemaker and the surgery lasts around 30 minutes. The battery life is also comparable with a traditional pacemaker’s 10-12 years and could be longer in some cases. Patients also will not have an incision scar on the chest or a bump protruding from the skin.

So if it's 90% smaller then there should be enough room to put in a new one every 10-12 years, unless people start living older than 100 with this device.

Aanar t1_ir1nb9k wrote on October 4, 2022 at 6:00 PM

They go in different places. This device is actually within your left ventrical. In a traditional pacemaker, only the lead is in the ventrical (and another in the atrium possibly) with the device located in a pocket under the collar bone. Traditional pacemakers are explanted when you need a new one. If the leads are still in good shape, the same leads are used with the new pacemaker, so there's no new net increase of volume of product being placed. If the lead isn't useable, then yes, they typically just put in a new one rather than try to extract the old one since explanting them can be risky. After about 3 or 4 leads though, you run out of room.

pavelbure- t1_ir22ce0 wrote on October 4, 2022 at 7:34 PM

AFAIK, the issue is the leads and human heart tissue. Cardiac tissue is partially conductive (conceptually, there are embedded, invisible, conductive channels).

It's not like skin, where you can re-implant into scar tissue or re-implant very close to another implantation location. The signal won't carry through the scar tissue. The lead wearing out (and coming out) comes with commensurate tissue scarring in an area. After a few implantations, you don't have a location that will carry the signal, reliably, as if it was natural cardiac tissue.

You want to replace/repair as few times as possible, to extend the utility of a pace-maker.