Posted: September 7th, 2024

Implantable Medical Devices

Implantable Medical Devices
Computer Sciences and Information Technology

Introduction
In recent years, implantable medical devices adoption within the healthcare and public health sector has gained prominence mainly due to rapidly growing technological landscape and increasing awareness regarding the availability and benefits of these devices. Medical implant devices can be described as tools used to replace or enhance a specific body part (Joung, 2013). Every year, many people are undergoing surgical procedures aimed at enhancing their lives through the installation or removal of the implantable medical devices. Joung (2013) argues that today implantable medical devices are applied in various body parts to perform different functions like orthopedics, pacemakers, defibrillators, drug delivery system, among others. These devices can either be implanted partially or completely under a permanent or temporary basis, depending on the need for a specific patient. This research explores other works of literature on implantable medical devices as an emerging technology that can be applied to modern organizations within the healthcare and public health sector.
Factors Driving the Adoption of Implantable Medical Devices
The growth of the current implantable medical devices landscape is being driven by factors like rapid technological advancements, increasing geriatric population, growing cases of chronic illnesses, and increased awareness about these devices (Tan, 2013). However, some studies have suggested that this growth could be even greater, but it is being hampered by some factors such as the high costs associated with it and very limited insurance cover schemes (Tan, 2013). Moreover, while this technology is mature in most developed regions, it is yet to make significant inroads in developing countries. Tan (2013) adds that it is expected that increasing awareness regarding this technology will supplement these deficiencies within the emerging economies.
Kim et al. (2015) argue that with rising life-spans, age-related illnesses are increasing, which one of the major facts leading to the adoption of implanted medical devices. These age-related illnesses are increasing the demand for different life-prolonging medical assistants like new implants and treatments as well as long-term pharmaceutical usage. As such, the future outlook on implantable medical devices is expected to increase significantly due to increasing age-related illnesses resulting from rising life-spans.
Another significant factor driving the adoption of implantable medical devices is the strong growing consumer inclination towards physical appearances and body aesthetics where cosmetics surgeries have become very common. Also, advancing technology innovations have enabled individuals to enhance their beauty through various medical implants like breast implants, dental implants, thigh augmentation, among others (Kim et al., 2015). These factors are having a significant impact in contributing to the growing demand for implanted medical devices.
Today medical research shows that chronic diseases like arthritis, cognitive modality, heart failures, among others, are on the rise (Gagliardi et al., 2017). These kinds of ailments require different types of medical implants to sustain a patient’s life and have been one of the factors promoting the implanted medical devices. Additionally, studies show that the increasing geriatric population globally is having a significant impact on the high prevalence of chronic ailments, a factor that is increasing the demand for these medical devices (Gagliardi et al., 2017).
Applications of Implantable Medical Devices
Today implantable medical devices are commonly for various cardiovascular treatments. While devices like pacemakers and ICD are among the common implantable medical devices, there are many other devices used applied in cardiovascular treatments. According to a research published on the Medical Design Technology magazine, there new device like the stent which is a product of Elixir Medical Corporation, and the device keep the arteries open, degrading overtime to restore normal-blood flow when the heart recovers from the specific complication the particular stent had been inserted to resolve (Ransford et al., 2013). The stent remodels itself gradually with the arterial healing process, which is a process estimated to take roughly six months. Further clinical trials have established that other medical implants like the scaffold are significantly contributing to significant sustainable cardiovascular improvements even after it has broken down almost completely within the body (Ransford et al., 2013). These factors demonstrate how implanted medical devices are being applied to various cardiovascular treatments.
Another area where implemented medical devices are popular being used is in better chronic pain management. For example, Nevro HF10 is a medical device that is usually implanted on a patient’s lower back to assist them in handling various back complications such as persistent back pain or sciatica (Easttom & Mei, 2019). Such a device is a reflection of the major advancements that have happened with the implantable medical devices technology. RF communications is also another medical device implanted to enhance a stimulating feeling to the patient sometimes at a frequency of 10,000 megahertz, which is a significant increase from the common 10-100 Hz range (Easttom & Mei, 2019). Although these ranges appear too strong, Easttom and Mei, 2019) argue that they can minimize uncomfortable sensations causing patient problems, especially when they are sleeping or trying to drive cars where it acts as a significant pain reliever. Based on these factors, implanted medical devices technology has a significant role play in chronic pain management.
With modern epilepsy mutating to become drug-resistant, medical professionals using implanted medical devices to track incidences of drug-resistant epilepsy. The technology is being deployed to treat various neurological cases, which are a very delicate area that requires great care from both doctors and other healthcare providers. In particular, these medical plants have successfully helped epilepsy patients manage different symptoms daily. Fries (2013) argues that for a long time, medical implants were ineffective when it comes to treating drug-resistant epilepsy, but the development of the device SenTiva by LiveNova has made significant progress in helping solve this problem. The SenTiva device is usually implanted around the vagus nerve as well as below the clavicle in what is usually an outpatient procedure with minimal invasiveness. The device works by stimulating the patient’s nerves at regular intervals and in the process, interrupting the brain activity that often precedes seizures (Fries, 2013).
Issues and Potential Challenges
Every industry has its ups and downs, with the implantable medical devices being no exception. The growth prospects of this industry are very high, with research by Market Research Engine predicting a 7.8% growth rate from 2018 to 2025 resulting in a $26.75 billion increase in value (Easttom & Mei, 2019). However, despite this positive outlook, device manufacturers have to acknowledge as well as address the potential issues and challenges that might hinder this technology from realizing the expected growth.
Cybersecurity is a huge concern for most implantable medical devices developers. According to a report published on the Telegraph, incidences of assassinations occurring through hacked pacemaker can take place as these devices can be wirelessly reprogrammed after implantation to a patient’s body (Easttom & Mei, 2019). Also, some of these medical devices can be compromised to collect personal medical information to be used for various malicious reasons (Bader & Jagtap, 2020). Finally, the incidence of an unprecedented massive failure on these devices is also being reported even with more effective and complex device designs being developed. Such challenges are likely to endanger the patient’s lives significantly, and more action should be taken to mitigate these problems.
Conclusion
From the preceding, implantable medical devices adoption within the healthcare and public health sector is being driven by factors like rapid technological advancements, increasing geriatric population, growing cases of chronic illnesses, and increased awareness about these devices. With chronic diseases like arthritis, cognitive modality, heart failures, among others are on the rise and a strong growing consumer inclination towards physical appearances and body aesthetics where cosmetics surgeries have become very common; it has propelled the growth of implantable medical devices. Today implantable medical devices are commonly for various cardiovascular treatments, better chronic pain management, and to track incidences of drug-resistant epilepsy. Based on these factors, the implanted medical devices technology has a significant role play in the healthcare and public health sector, and most organizations should invest in undertaking this technology. However, some potential challenges are facing this technology, such as Cybersecurity, where devices can be hacked after implantation to a patient’s body to collect personal medical information to be used for various malicious reasons. Moreover, some of these devices may experience failure, which endangers a patient’s life. From this research study, we can conclude that implantable medical devices come with numerous benefits, but some potential issues and challenges need to be addressed to make them more effective and reliable.

References
Bader, F., & Jagtap, S. (2020). Internet of things-linked wearable devices for managing food safety in the healthcare sector. Wearable and Implantable Medical Devices, 229–253. doi: 10.1016/b978-0-12-815369-7.00010-0
Chaffin, K., Taylor, C., & Grailer, T. (2013). Bonding strategies and adhesives for joining medical device components. Joining and Assembly of Medical Materials and Devices, 370–404. doi: 10.1533/9780857096425.3.370
Do, K. T. (2011). Universal Engineering Programmer – An In-house Development Tool For Developing and Testing Implantable Medical Devices In St. Jude Medical. doi: 10.15368/theses.2011.42
Easttom, C., & Mei, N. (2019). Mitigating Implanted Medical Device Cybersecurity Risks. 2019 IEEE 10th Annual Ubiquitous Computing, Electronics & Mobile Communication Conference (UEMCON). doi: 10.1109/uemcon47517.2019.8992922
Fries, R. C. (2013). Reliable design of medical devices. Boca Raton: CRC Press.
Gagliardi, A. R., Lehoux, P., Ducey, A., Easty, A., Ross, S., Bell, C. M., … Urbach, D. R. (2017). Factors constraining patient engagement in implantable medical device discussions and decisions: interviews with physicians. International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 29(2), 276–282. doi: 10.1093/intqhc/mzx013
Joung, Y.-H. (2013). Development of Implantable Medical Devices: From an Engineering Perspective. International Neurourology Journal, 17(3), 98. doi: 10.5213/inj.2013.17.3.98
Kim, Y., Lee, W., Raghunathan, A., Raghunathan, V., & Jha, N. K. (2015). Reliability and security of implantable and wearable medical devices. Implantable Biomedical Microsystems, 167–199. doi: 10.1016/b978-0-323-26208-8.00008-x
Ransford, B., Clark, S. S., Kune, D. F., Fu, K., & Burleson, W. P. (2013). Design Challenges for Secure Implantable Medical Devices. Security and Privacy for Implantable Medical Devices, 157–173. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4614-1674-6_7
Tan, Q. (2013). In Vivo Bioreactor: New Type of Implantable Medical Devices. Security and Privacy for Implantable Medical Devices, 129–152. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4614-1674-6_5

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