Abstract
The paper describes a series of animal experiments in which large-surface-area disk electrodes were used to study the current density required for ventricular fibrillation. The electrical currents were introduced to the heart both by applying the electrodes directly to the heart and by applying the electrodes to the surface of the chest near the heart. The electrode areas studied ranged from 1000 to 30 000 mm2. The results show that, for large-area electrodes, fibrillation thresholds are determined by current density. The thresholds approach a constant value of 3·5 μA mm−2
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Geddes, L. A., Grubbs, S. S., Wilcox, P. G. andTacker, W. A. (1977) The thoracic windows for electrical ventricular ventriculation.Am. Heart J.,94, 67–72.
Geddes, L. A., Foster, K. S. andVoorhees, V. D. (1983) Thoracic windows for cardiac pacing. 36th ACEMB, Sept., 20.
Irnich, W. (1975) Engineering concepts of pacemaker electrodes. InAdvances in pacemaker technology. Springer-Verlag, 241–272.
Lindemans, F. W. andDenier van der Gon, J. J. (1978) Current thresholds and liminal size in excitation of heart muscle. Cardiovasc, Res.,12, 477–485.
Pfeiffer, E. (1976) A model for electrically induced ventricular fibrillation. Digest 11th Int. Conf. on Med. and Biol. Eng., Ottawa, Canada, 392–393.
Roy, O. Z. (1975) 60 Hz ventricular fibrillation and rhythm thresholds and the nonpacing intracardiac catheter.Med. Biol. Eng.,13, 228–234.
Roy, O. Z., Scott, J. R. andPark, G. C. (1976) 60 Hz ventricular fibrillation and pump failure thresholds versus electrode area.IEEE Trans.,BME-23, 45–48.
Roy, O. Z. (1980) Summary of cardiac fibrillation thresholds for 60 Hz currents and voltages applied directly to the heart.Med. & Biol. Eng. & Comput.,18, 657–659.
Sances A. Jr., Myklebust, J. B. andSzablya, J. F. (1983) Current pathways in high voltage injuries.IEEE Trans.,BME-30, 118–124.
Starmer, F. andWhalen, R. (1973) Current density and electrically induced ventricular fibrillation.Med. Instrum.,7, 3–6.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Roy, O.Z., Scott, J.R. & Trollope, B.J. 60 Hz ventricular fibrillation thresholds for large-surface-area electrodes. Med. Biol. Eng. Comput. 24, 471–474 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02443961
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02443961