Tiny pacemaker developed by scientists can fit in a syringe

Scientists at Northwestern University unveiled what may be the world's tiniest pacemaker, with new research published in Nature on Wednesday.

Smaller than a grain of rice, the soft device fits in a syringe, so that it can be inserted non-invasively. When no longer needed, the tiny pacemaker dissolves, so that there's no need for a removal surgery.

According to professor Igor Efimov, a co-lead in the study, about one percent of children worldwide are born with congenital heart defects. And though they only need a pacemaker for about a week after a surgery, after which the heart begins to self-repair, those seven days, Efimov said in a press release, are absolutely crucial.