Implantable sensors and ultrasonic data link with triggered bioresorption for next-gen wireless cardiac monitoring

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally. Monitoring heart functions and ischemia is critical for survival after cardiac surgery. Standard monitoring methods such as echocardiogram and ELISA blood test provide single-time measurements. They are available only in hospitals, and there is no continuous monitoring method after patients are discharged, leading to a high rate of recurrent heart failures and rehospitalization. Implantable medical devices are used for treatment of various disorders. However, their non-resorbable nature necessitates an implant removal surgery that puts additional risk of infection and stress on patients and limits their use in postoperative monitoring. Bioresorbable implants may soon revolutionize postoperative monitoring methods. The surgeon will implant a small patch onto the heart during surgery, enabling continuous cardiac monitoring and early alerts for heart failure. This will reduce sudden attacks, rehospitalizations, and financial burden of health care. Then, once the monitoring period ends, triggering with a light source will dissolve the implant; thus, providing a significant second chance for the survivors of cardiac failure without the burden of secondary surgery. The technological advancements to bring this vision to the clinic are not available yet. 2ND-CHANCE will facilitate this vision by building components of next-generation wireless implants with triggered bioresorption for cardiac surgery through ground-breaking approaches. This interdisciplinary project aims to develop 1) bioresorbable sensors compatible with the in-body environment, 2) battery-free ultrasonic communication, and 3) encapsulation layer with triggered bioresorption, followed by 4) integration and animal tests. The versatility of the 2ND-CHANCE will also yield potential breakthroughs in fields where monitoring of tissues and biomarkers is crucial such as neurology and ophthalmology, and open new research perspectives.