Vagus nerve stimulation using a miniaturized wirelessly powered stimulator in pigs
Iman Habibagahi, Mahmoud Omidbeigi, Joseph Hadaya, Hongming Lyu, Jaeeun Jang, Jeffrey L. Ardell, Ausaf A. Bari & Aydin Babakhani
Scientifc Reports | (2022) 12:8184
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11850-0
New in vivo experiments using male pigs (Sus scrofa) evaluates the possibility of using battery free and wireless vagus nerve stimulators.
This recent publication by Habibagahi et al. 2022 examined the feasibility and functionality of a novel #wireless and battery free #generator design for vagus nerve stimulation (#VNS) in an in vivo setup. The viability of the generator was determined by monitoring the reduction in heart rate following #efferent stimulation of the right vagus nerve in healthy adult pigs (Sus scrofa, N=3). The heart rate reduction of the new generator (84 stimulations) was compared to that of a conventional wired generator (36 stimulations, 10 seconds each).
Results demonstrated the new generator to be as efficient in reducing heart rate frequency as the conventional wired generator (78.5% versus 75%, respectively). Furthermore, an operating distance of 5-11 cm for the wirelessly powered generator was demonstrated.
The development of wireless and battery free generators for VNS Therapy would significantly increase the generator lifespan and eliminate the need for re-implantation procedures. Furthermore, battery free generators would remarkably reduce implant size. However, one of the main obstacles in developing these generators is the trade-off between generator size and operating range. This publication is the first study demonstrating a wirelessly powered generator with an operating range of >5 cm, providing a basis for further research and development.