SUBCUTANEOUS CARDIAC STIMULATOR DEVICE WITH SMALL CONTACT SURFACE ELECTRODES

摘要

A subcutaneous cardiac device (40 B) includes two electrodes and a stimulator. The electrodes are implanted between the skin and the rib cage and are adapted to generate an electric field having a substantially uniform voltage gradient as it passes through the heart. The shapes, sizes, positions and structures of the electrodes are selected to optimize the voltage gradient of the electric field, and to minimize the energy dissipated by the electric field outside the heart. More specifically, the electrodes have contact surfaces having a total contact area of less than 100 cm<2>.