IBM gets to the heart of pacemakers

IBM and St. Jude Medical have developed technology designed to save the lives of thousands of heart patients by improving the ability to monitor and program implanted cardiac devices.

The St. Jude Medical Merlin Patient Care System is portable apparatus that programs implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) and pacemakers. IBM provided resources, industry experience and consultation to the medical team in the development of the system. It is designed to help physicians conduct tests, analyse therapeutic and diagnostic data and program implanted devices more efficiently, enabling doctors to make life saving decisions more quickly.

The highly portable device will improve the safety of cardiac programming during open-heart surgery and, once surgery is complete, remotely monitor and program implantable devices, making a once difficult, invasive and time-consuming procedure part of a routine follow up visit.

The Merlin Patient Care System received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in April, following a development effort where St. Jude Medical consulted with engineers from IBM’s Technology Collaboration Solutions unit. The team collaborated throughout the project, from the early design and engineering of the housing and printed circuit board through to volume production.