Medical Design Briefs - July 2022 - 34

when we're breathing out. And then
the device has to communicate back to
the body and pace the heart up during
breathing in and down during breathing
out. "
On seeing the results, interventional
cardiologist Dr. Wil Harrison from Middlemore
Hospital says, " Very interesting
study. We do recognize clinically that
permanent pacing is non-physiological
to a certain degree, and pacing-induced
cardiomyopathy is a well-recognized
phenomenon. It will be exciting to see if
the findings translate over to humans. "
Dr. Martin Stiles, a cardiologist from
Waikato Hospital, who will lead the trial,
adds, " We typically see improvements in
heart function with current pacemakers,
but this bionic pacemaker has far exceeded
our expectations. This discovery may
revolutionize how heart failure patients
are paced in the future. "
plans
The next steps are well under way, with
into a trial
to
recruit
patients
planned for later this year in New Zealand.
The trial will be supported by Ceryx
Medical, a start-up company that owns
the IP on the unique electronics within
the bionic pacemaker.
The study was funded by the Health
Research Council of New Zealand.
For more information, visit www.auckland.
ac.nz.
Peeling Back the Layers: Adhesives Testing for Wearables
As wearable devices
become more widespread,
mechanical testing methods
must develop in parallel.
Instron
Norwood, MA
Trends in wearable technology follow
those of the broader biomedical and electronics
industries - devices are getting
smaller, smarter, and easier to use. Specifically,
wearables in healthcare have moved
toward solutions that reduce the device
profile, provide more integration with
smartphone apps, and most importantly
enable patients to receive their treatments
at home, outside of a doctor's visit. These
wearable devices range from on-body
drug- delivery systems for cancer treatment
to electrical nerve stimulation patches or
simply sensors to monitor vitals. All treatments
increase patient autonomy and are
rapidly increasing in popularity.
As this trend continues, manufacturers
are working to develop robust testing
methods to mechanically evaluate all aspects
of these devices and ensure that
they are performing as expected. In addition
to testing the injection device
components, manufacturers face challenges
in evaluating and selecting the
adhesives for their products.
n Challenges in Adhesive Selection
Innovation in the field of medical
adhesives has been ongoing since
Band-Aids®
were invented in 1921.
Medical adhesives have long been used
in ECG sensors, medical tapes, and
bandages. However, the rise of wearables
and more specifically on-body
drug-delivery systems has intensified
34
Instron's 6800 Series universal testing system is used to perform a 90° peel test to ASTM D3330.
This test establishes baseline properties for adhesives and can also be used to evaluate adhesives
after they have undergone conditioning to simulate real-world stresses. (Credit: Instron)
the need for standardization and testing
of adhesives that must stay on the
body for extended periods of time.
Scientists have long understood that
designing adhesives for use on skin is
uniquely challenging. Skin regenerates
approximately every 27 days, and its sensitivity
to different adhesives is dependent
on biocompatibility factors such as age,
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allergens, hair, moisture/sweat levels, and
how the adhesive itself performs over
time and under different environmental
conditions. Adhesives used on skin must
be able to withstand products like soap or
lotion and not degrade or react to contact
with these substances. Additionally, a
wearable device designed for extended
use needs to withstand the motions and
Medical Design Briefs, July 2022

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Medical Design Briefs - July 2022

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