Balanced charge waveform for transcutaneous pacing

摘要

External pacemaker systems and methods deliver pacing waveforms that minimize hydrolysis of the electrode gel. Compensating pulses are interleaved with the pacing pulses, with a polarity and duration that balance the net charge at the electrode locations. The compensating pulses are preferably rectangular for continuous pacing, and decay individually for on-demand pacing.

主权项

1. A transcutaneous cardiac pacing method comprising:
applying pacing electrodes to a patient for transcutaneous pacing; applying through the electrodes a series of cardiac pacing pulses; and applying through the electrodes a series of compensating pulses interleaved with the cardiac pacing pulses, the compensating pulses having a polarity opposite to a polarity of the cardiac pacing pulses to at least substantially compensate for a charge of the cardiac pacing pulses and configured to:
start approximately immediately at an end of a first cardiac pacing pulse and last up to an onset of a second cardiac pacing pulse that succeeds the first cardiac pacing pulse, the pacing pulses and compensating pulses being configured so that a net current applied to a patient is substantially or exactly zero.