A new optrode design for intramural optical recordings.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Cardiovascular Research
• Medical Device Development

Background:

• Intramural measurements of membrane potential (V(m)) and intracellular calcium (Ca(i)(2+)) are critical for understanding cardiac arrhythmias and defibrillation.
• Existing methods for intramural cardiac mapping may introduce artifacts, particularly during defibrillation shock analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize a new optrode design for improved intramural cardiac mapping.
• To enhance the accuracy and reliability of V(m) and Ca(i)(2+) measurements within cardiac tissue.

Main Methods:

• A novel optrode was fabricated using seven optical fibers with 45° polished, mirrored ends.
• The optical fibers were encased in a smooth epoxy resin for protection and consistent diameter.
• The optrodes were tested for strength, reusability, and potential to reduce measurement artifacts.

Main Results:

• The developed optrodes demonstrated sufficient strength for insertion into cardiac muscle.
• The epoxy resin casing effectively protected the mirrored fiber ends and maintained a constant diameter.
• The new optrode design shows promise in reducing artifacts during defibrillation shock measurements on V(m).

Conclusions:

• The novel optrode design offers a robust and reusable tool for intramural cardiac mapping.
• This technology has the potential to improve the accuracy of electrophysiological measurements in the context of cardiac arrhythmias and defibrillation.
• Further studies are warranted to fully validate the impact of this optrode on V(m) measurements during defibrillation.