Conductive Hydrogel Lead Extensions Across Scarred Myocardium
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for ventricular arrhythmias, such as implantable cardiac defibrillators, are costly, painful, and ineffective in preventing re-entrant arrhythmias, and there is a need for improved treatments that address the underlying electrical conduction issues in scarred myocardium.
Innovation Solution
Development of a biostable, biocompatible, conductive hydrogel that can be injected into the venous system to restore electrical conduction across scarred myocardium, using a catheter-based delivery system to mix and cure the hydrogel precursors in situ, and connect it with pacemaker or defibrillator leads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If implantable cardiac defibrillators are used to treat ventricular arrhythmias, then patients receive life-saving shocks, but the treatment is costly, painful, and does not prevent re-entrant arrhythmias
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive hydrogel is injected into the venous system before arrhythmia occurs, allowing it to cure in situ and restore electrical conduction across scarred myocardium in advance, preventing re-entrant arrhythmias before they can develop
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical/electrical shock-based defibrillation system with a chemical/biological system using conductive hydrogel that restores natural electrical conduction, eliminating the need for painful shocks
2Reliability
If ablation is used to destroy diseased cardiac tissue, then arrhythmia is treated, but 18-40% of cases experience recurrent arrhythmia and there is risk of pericardial effusions and coronary artery occlusions
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of destroying scarred tissue through ablation, the invention converts the harmful scarred myocardium into a beneficial conductive pathway by injecting conductive hydrogel that restores electrical conduction across the scarred regions
Solution Approach 2:
The conductive hydrogel acts as an intermediary material that bridges the electrical conduction gap across scarred myocardium, allowing electrical signals to pass through previously blocked pathways without direct contact between electrodes and tissue
3Reliability
If antiarrhythmic drugs are used to slow conduction velocity, then re-entrant wavefronts are prevented, but the drugs are toxic and can be pro-arrhythmic
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces pharmacological intervention with a physical/conductive solution, using conductive hydrogel to restore electrical pathways rather than chemically altering conduction velocity through toxic drugs
4Reliability
If defibrillators are implanted to shock the heart, then lethal arrhythmias are treated, but the procedure is expensive and quality of life is not improved
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive hydrogel can be delivered via a one-time injection procedure that may eliminate the need for expensive implantable defibrillators, representing a more cost-effective approach despite the hydrogel being a temporary material
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The hydrogel provides a flexible, conductive pathway across scarred myocardium, effectively restoring conduction velocity, reducing the risk of re-entrant arrhythmias, and potentially eliminating the need for painful defibrillator shocks, while being biocompatible and long-lasting.
Implementation Method 1
a catheter-based delivery system to mix and cure the hydrogel precursors in situ
Implementation Method 2
The hydrogel provides a flexible, conductive pathway across scarred myocardium, effectively restoring conduction velocity
Data Source
AI summary
A conductive hydrogel precursor solution cures after injection into the vasculature of the myocardium. The vasculature acts as a mold for the hydrogel and allows for a pacing signal to be conducted across the myocardium and not at a single point like traditional pacing leads. The catheter-based delivery can accurately place the hydrogels into the myocardial veins and can fill the venous tributaries. In situ crosslinking of the hydrogel precursor solution is achieved through several mechanisms, such as redox initiation by mixing a reducing reagent and oxidizing agent after injection. Conductivity is achieved by doping in conductive polymers or other conductive elements such as ionic species, metallic nanoparticles, or graphene nanoplatelets. To ensure long-term conductivity, hydrogel macromers may be synthesized without hydrolytically labile groups such as esters, and the conductive elements may be conjugated directly to the hydrogel matrix.