Stretchable Low-Impedance Nanocomposite Comprised of Ag-Au Core-Shell Nanowires and Pt Black for Epicardial Recording and Stimulation

Abstract

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) presents effective means to modulate cardiac conduction and related functions in heart failure patients. However, the conventional CRT delivers electric current at only two points on the heart, therefore, it is unable to provide comprehensive electrical support to the heart. Additionally, the CRT-device structure faces several issues, such as those associated with the endocardial screw tip, which may cause myocardial degeneration, and the metal lead wire, which may lead to intravascular thrombosis and lead infection. Moreover, the conventional CRT has limitations in mechanically improving the cardiac contractility, which often cannot prevent further ventricular dilation. Here, a fabrication of an elastoconductive epicardial mesh using a stretchable low-impedance nanocomposite comprising Ag-Au core-shell nanowires and platinum black (Pt black) in elastomer to provide a potential solution to the above-mentioned clinical issues is reported. The proposed nanocomposite structure exhibits high stretchability, conductivity, and biocompatibility in combination with low impedance. These features facilitate the realization of high signal-to-noise ratios in electrocardiogram recordings, and high-quality electrical stimulations. The proposed epicardial mesh is implanted on the surface of an animal heart with minimum traumatic stress, and is consequently able to conduct high-quality cardiac recording and electrical stimulation in rodents.