NEWS · C1 Level - Part 1

Tiny Pacemaker Could Help Youngest Patients

They're calling this the world's smallest pacemaker. Engineers at Northwestern University developed the device to be so minuscule

Level: C1 · 20 sentences

Transcript

1. They're calling this the world's smallest pacemaker.
2. Engineers at Northwestern University developed the device to be so minuscule
3. that it fits inside the tip of a syringe.
4. It can be injected right into a patient's chest.
5. So, no invasive surgeries needed.
6. The pacemaker itself is light-sensitive.
7. It works alongside this small patch stuck to the skin.
8. When an irregular heartbeat is detected, it flashes.
9. That light activates electrodes on the pacemaker.
10. And then sends electrical impulses to the heart,
11. helping to control and correct the pace of the heartbeats.
12. While this tiny pacemaker can work with a heart of any size,
13. it might especially benefit newborn babies with congenital heart defects
14. as they recover from serious heart surgeries.
15. Post-op recovery can be daunting,
16. especially for infants who undergo that kind of surgery.
17. The pacemaker isn't meant to be worn for life.
18. It will dissolve away over a period of 6 to 9 months completely.
19. For now, this tiny piece of technology is still an experiment.
20. But one day, it could make a big difference for our youngest, tiniest heart patients.