A measurement system for evaluation of electrical properties of myocardium

Abstract

An electronic system for simultaneous measurements of myocardial electrical resistance and action potential (AP) has been developed. The measurement probe has been constructed in the form of a mechanical stabilizer, like this one commercially available, and commonly used during surgery on open chest. The stabilizer consists of eight sucking chambers, and four of them are armed with compound electrodes. The compound electrode consists of two coaxial rings, however they are not coplanar. Each compound electrode is used to measure bipolar AP. In turn, resistance is measured between two compound electrodes (four-electrode technique). Usage of the same electrodes for different tasks is possible due to a specially developed excitation and measurement channels. It is possible to measure simultaneously four electrogram signals and two resistances and their changes. System has been tested in laboratory and as a result its basic parameters are estimated. In vivo experiments on pigs hearts also have been performed using this measurement system and results are presented in another paper. © Springer-Verlag 2007.