Igor R. Efimov, Ph.D.

Scientists led by Northwestern University and the University of Texas at Austin (UT) have developed the first cardiac implant made from graphene, a two-dimensional super material with ultra-strong, lightweight and conductive properties, described in a study published in Advanced Materials.

Similar in appearance to a child’s temporary tattoo, the new graphene “tattoo” implant is thinner than a single strand of hair yet still functions like a classical pacemaker. But unlike current pacemakers and implanted defibrillators, which require hard, rigid materials that are mechanically incompatible with the body, the new device softly melds to the heart to simultaneously sense and treat irregular heartbeats. The implant is thin and flexible enough to conform to the heart’s delicate contours as well as stretchy and strong enough to withstand the dynamic motions of a beating heart… Continue reading.

Delivering a sequence of pulses with low energy and low voltage may be a safe and effective—and relatively painless—way to get patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) back into sinus rhythm, according to a first-in-human feasibility study of MultiPulse Therapy (MPT; Cardialen).

The approach, tested in patients undergoing catheter ablation, terminated induced AF within 20 seconds in 71% of cases, researchers led by Fu Siong Ng, PhD (National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, England), report.

Of note, “MPT effectively terminated AF at voltages and energies known to be well tolerated or painless in some patients,” they write in a paper published online ahead of print in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology. “Our results support further studies of the concept of implanted devices for early AF conversion to reduce AF burden, symptoms, and progression.”

The idea is not new, as implantable atrial defibrillators came to market in the 1990s, senior author Igor Efimov, PhD (George Washington University, Washington, DC), pointed out to TCTMD. The devices were effective, but the high-energy shocks were too painful. Some patients likened it to be being kicked in the chest by a mule, Efimov recounted… Continue reading.

An experimental temporary pacemaker that is miniaturized, externally powered, and fully bioresorbable is being developed.

The 1-cm-diameter device successfully triggered ventricular activation in mouse, rabbit, and human heart tissue and in live animals, according to an early study released at the virtual annual conference of the Heart Rhythm Society.

The device could pace the heart for up to 32 days and be implanted with bioadhesive, Rose T. Yin, BS, a graduate student at Washington University in St. Louis, and colleagues reported.

“We’re creating a device without a battery that’s so small we can implant them in a much safer way than traditional temporary pacemakers. Then it will be absorbed when its work is finished,” co-author Igor Efimov, PhD, of Washington University in St. Louis, told MedPage Today. “Or in another implementation, they may not need to be absorbed: if it doesn’t have a battery, you could potentially make them last for a very long time… Continue reading.

School of Engineering and Applied Science Professor Igor Efimov is set to be inducted into the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) next spring, a prestigious distinction for leaders in academic innovation.

Dr. Efimov is the Alisann and Terry Collins Professor of Biomedical Engineering and chairman of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the George Washington University. Individuals elected to the rank of NAI fellow are named inventors on U.S. patents and were nominated by their peers for outstanding contributions to innovation in areas such as patents and licensing, innovative discovery and technology, significant impact on society and support and enhancement of innovation, according to the NAI.

This year the NAI received a record number of nominations. It is humbling to be recognized by the NAI, Dr. Efimov said… Continue reading.

WASHINGTON, D.C.— The American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) has announced the pending induction of Igor R. Efimov, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, to its College of Fellows. Dr. Efimov was nominated, reviewed, and elected by peers and members of the College of Fellows For outstanding contributions to cardiovascular engineering and imaging and for pioneering work on low energy multistage defibrillation.