EaglePicher Announces World's Smallest Implantable
Medical Battery
Editor: A frequently cited roadblock to totally implanted hearing
aids is the lack of availability of a suitable battery. Is this new
battery from EaglePicher the answer?
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New Line of Micro Devices Are Now a Possibility
EaglePicher Medical Power today announced the successful
qualification of the industry's smallest implantable-grade medical
battery. The battery's size and shape (cylindrical, 0.260" long x
0.090" diameter) enables a device so small that it can be deployed
via a minimally-invasive catheter procedure rather than traditional
implantation surgery. The device is presently undergoing clinical trials
in Europe.
The Micro Battery, which is at least 50% smaller and lighter than
known commercially available products, is based on a proprietary new
cell construction developed by EaglePicher Medical Power. Electrical
capacity exceeds the original design objective by a factor of five with
the result that it can theoretically power the device for more than 15
years. The Micro Battery will create new opportunities for device
manufacturers in Neurological Catheters, Cardiovascular Monitoring, and
Neural Prostheses (Retinal implants, Cochlear Implants).
"The performance of this battery is truly remarkable compared to
anything on the market and is a testament to the innovation that has
kept EaglePicher at the forefront of high-performance battery
development for so many decades," said Grant Farrell, VP &
General Manager of EaglePicher Medical Power. "Manufacturers of
implantable medical devices who want to miniaturize their product but
have not been able to find a suitable power source now have an option
due to the size and performance of the Micro Battery."
About EaglePicher Medical Power
EaglePicher Medical Power, an EaglePicher company, is a leading
supplier of batteries to manufacturers of implantable medical devices.
Products include batteries for cardio defibrillators, heart monitors,
heart re-synchronizers and neuromodulation systems, among others.
EaglePicher Medical Power is one of the few producers of
implantable-grade batteries in the world to be certified ISO 13485, and
leads the industry in producing rechargeable lithium-ion batteries for
implantable applications. Building upon the world-class technology
heritage of parent EaglePicher, the company offers one of the broadest
ranges of electrochemistries for implantable applications including
lithium-ion, lithium manganese dioxide, lithium thionyl chloride, and
lithium carbon monofloride. EaglePicher Medical Power is headquartered
in Vancouver, Canada
