Implantable medical technology

I have been working in the field of implantable medical technology since 1969. It was my first job out of school, and I am still in that same job. In March 1969,1 went to work for a prolific individual named Alfred Mann, who was starting a pacemaker company. Each implantable device led to another. Over a dozen companies were initiated since that time, and the process has not stopped yet. 

One of the factors determining the life span of implanted medical devices is the life span of its power source. The impressive progress in extending it has been possible by the advancement of both, primary- and secondary-battery technologies. In other words, electrochemical power sources are tmly an integral vital part of modem health care. 

The aim of this type of devices is to further extend the operational lifetime of the implanted medical devices to match the life time of the patient. To that end, fuel cell technology will have to be involved. 

The health care industry is capitalizing on new medical technologies based on loT that will both dramatically improve care and lower costs. There is a dramatic growth in medical devices that use wireless technologies, some implanted and some worn on the body, to control bodily functions and to measure an array of physiological parameters. For example, implanted devices with biosensors and actuators can control heart rhythms, monitor hypertension, provide functional electrical stimulation of nerves, operate as glaucoma sensors, and monitor bladder and cranial pressure [3]. Electronic textiles (E-Tex)-based WBSNs for noninvasive health care monitoring will be the most... 

Cao L, Mantell S, Polla D (2001) Design and simulation of an implantable medical drug delivery system using microelectromechanical systems technology. Sens Actuators a-Phys 94 117-125... 

Medical Device Technology 14, No.7, Sept.2003,p.l6-9 COMBINED LOCAL DRUG DELIVERY AND IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICES... 

In the opinion of material scientists, thin-film technology is essential in the development of rechargeable hthium-based microbatteries for potential applications, such as smart cards, nonvolatile memory backup devices, MEMS sensors and actuators, and miniaturized implantable medical devices. Battery designers predict that for such applications film thickness should not exceed a few tens of micrometers or microns (10 cm). This means that the film thickness must be at least ten micrometers or 0.001 cm (0.0025 in.), which may be suitable for minimum battery... 

Technology Advances and Challenges in Hermetic Packaging for Implantable Medical Devices... 

Several hermetic packaging technologies could potentially lead to successful deployment of MEMS for implantable medical devices [107-111] ... 

Advances in hermetic packaging technology have helped in the successful commercialization of many implantable medical devices, including implantable pacemakers, cardioverter defibrillators, implantable neuromuscular stimulators, and cochlear implants. The continued success of such devices is very much dependent on the reliability of the hermetic package. The packaging methods discussed in this chapter will continue to play important roles in the realm of hermetic packaging for implantable medical devices. 

Many issues associated with hermetic packaging have yet to be completely understood, let alone overcome. The continued miniaturization of future implantable medical devices provides both opportunities and challenges for packaging/materials engineers to improve the current packaging methods and to develop new methods. Reliable hermetic micropackaging technologies are the key to a wide utilization of MEMS in miniaturized implantable medical devices. 

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