Improved electrodes for electrical defibrillation of rats

Experimental induction of ventricular fibrillation in animals yields valuable information about this deadly arrhythmia. Human adult or pediatric defibrillators and their paddles can be used easily in larger animals such as dogs and pigs, but these animals are more difficult to house and handle, and available biochemical assays may be limited. In contrast, rats are easy and relatively inexpensive to house and handle, and numerous biochemical tests are available. However, in most cases, even pediatric electrodes are impractical for use in rats. Proper placement of defibrillation electrodes on the thorax requires that the electrical axis of the heart be situated between the defibrillator paddles. The most common approach to defibrillation in rats uses 2 electrodes: one is built into a board that underlies and touches the rat's back, and another is positioned manually on the anterior thorax. The aim of this study was to produce electrodes that are 1) easy to handle, 2) specifically designed for rats, 3) efficiently deliver defibrillation shocks along the electric axis of the heart, and 4) can be used for both in vivo defibrillation and on isolated heart preparations.