Telemetry of electrophysiologic variables from conscious dogs: system design, validation, and serial studies

The necessity for conscious animal models in the study of cardiac physiology has been established for hemodynamics. The characterization of the electrophysiologic properties of the heart has not been performed in a serial fashion in a conscious animal model. Implanted telemetry sensing devices for recording atrial, ventricular, and His electrograms and stimulation systems for both atrium and ventricle allowed serial evaluation of eight dogs for up to 4 months. There were significant fluctuations in some electrophysiologic variables with time, particularly heart rate, sinus node recovery time, and pacing rate for induction of Wenckebach block. This variability did not appear to deviate with time after implantation, and no significant differences in the basal electrophysiologic state were found between the period early after surgery (0 to 2 1/2 weeks) and later (3 to 8 weeks).