I’m happy to share that a paper I coauthored with Daniel Villamil, “The Forgotten History of Semi-Implanted Radiofrequency- and Inductive-Powered Cardiac Pacing Systems,” has been published online in Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology (PACE).
The paper explores an often overlooked chapter in pacemaker history. These systems transferred energy across intact skin to a small and remarkably simple implanted receiver. We trace their development from the pioneering Glenn and Mauro RF pacemaker of 1959 through the later Cutler-Hammer, Cordis Transicor, and Abrams/Lightwood/Lucas systems.
We also consider the modern implications of this early work. Although continuously externally powered cardiac pacing was replaced by fully implantable pulse generators, the same basic strategy remains useful in modern therapies that place a small batteryless stimulator near the treatment site while keeping the power source and part of the control system outside the body.
The paper can be read free of charge through Wiley’s read-only sharing service:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/author/AG7CFNUADCCW4RNDDVNK?target=10.1111/pace.70377
Reference:
David Prutchi and Daniel Villamil, “The Forgotten History of Semi-Implanted Radiofrequency- and Inductive-Powered Cardiac Pacing Systems,” Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 2026. DOI: 10.1111/pace.70377.