# The First Implantable Cardiac Pacemaker

> Wilson Greatbatch's 1960 patent for the first successful implantable heart pacemaker that used a battery to regulate heartbeat.

- **Patent:** US 3057356
- **Original title:** Medical cardiac pacemaker
- **Owner:** Wilson Greatbatch Technologies Inc
- **Granted:** 1962
- **Status:** Public domain (expired)
- **Times cited:** 127
- **Field:** biotech, medical_devices

## What it does

This patent describes a medical device designed to be implanted inside a patient to provide electrical stimulation to the heart. It uses a transistorized oscillator circuit to generate periodic electrical pulses that mimic the natural rhythm of a heart. These pulses are delivered to the heart muscle via electrodes to keep the heart beating at a steady, healthy rate. The device is powered by a battery, allowing it to function independently within the body for extended periods.

## What it does NOT cover

- Does not cover external pacemakers that remain outside the body.
- Does not cover modern pacemakers with wireless communication or remote monitoring features.
- Does not cover non-electrical methods of heart rhythm regulation.
- Does not cover the specific chemical composition of modern lithium-iodine batteries.

## The clever bit

Greatbatch used a transistor, which was a relatively new component at the time, to create a circuit that was small and efficient enough to run on a battery for a long time inside the human body.

## Real-world examples

1. Early implantable pacemakers used in the 1960s
2. Modern cardiac rhythm management devices
3. Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators

## Why it matters

This invention transformed cardiology by turning heart block from a fatal condition into a manageable one. It laid the foundation for the entire implantable medical device industry, including modern pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs).

## Frequently asked questions

### What does The First Implantable Cardiac Pacemaker cover?

Wilson Greatbatch's 1960 patent for the first successful implantable heart pacemaker that used a battery to regulate heartbeat.

### Who owns patent US 3057356?

Wilson Greatbatch Technologies Inc owns this patent, granted in 1962.

### When does this patent expire?

This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.

### What is patent US 3057356 cited by?

This patent has been cited by 127 later patents that build on its ideas.

### What problem does this patent solve?

This invention transformed cardiology by turning heart block from a fatal condition into a manageable one. It laid the foundation for the entire implantable medical device industry, including modern pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs).

### What does this patent NOT cover?

Does not cover external pacemakers that remain outside the body.

**Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/3057356/implantable-cardiac-pacemaker

**Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US3057356

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_Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._


## Related patents

Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus:

- [How the First Automatic Implantable Defibrillator Works](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/3614954/implantable-defibrillator-mirowski) — A 1970 invention by Medtronic that monitors heart rhythms and automatically delivers an electric shock to restart the heart if it detects a dangerous malfunction.
- [How Early Cochlear Implants Used Digital Signals to Restore Hearing](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4063048/cochlear-implant-hearing) — A 1977 patent describing an electronic device that converts sound into digital pulses to stimulate the auditory nerve, bypassing a damaged inner ear.
- [How Jarvik's Artificial Heart Uses Electric Motors to Pump Blood](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4173796/jarvik-artificial-heart) — A 1977 invention by Robert Jarvik that uses a reversible electric motor to power a hydraulic pump, enabling artificial hearts to mimic the natural pumping action of a human heart.
- [Leonarde Keeler's Early Mechanical Blood Pressure Recorder](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/1788434/polygraph-lie-detector-keeler) — A 1925 invention by Leonarde Keeler designed to mechanically record a patient's arterial blood pressure over time.
- [How Doctors Implant a Permanent Stent Using a Balloon](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4733665/palmaz-balloon-expandable-stent) — This patent describes the method for placing a permanent, expandable wire mesh tube inside a blood vessel or other body tube using a balloon-tipped catheter to widen it and keep it open.