Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2026

09:24
Multiparametric Optical Mapping of the Langendorff-perfused Rabbit Heart
Published on: September 13, 2011
Virtual electrode effects in transvenous defibrillation-modulation by structure and interface: evidence from bidomain
E Entcheva1, J Eason, I R Efimov
1Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Memphis and University of Tennessee, USA.
Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology
|October 24, 1998
Summary
Virtual electrode effects (VEE) occur during implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) shocks, impacting defibrillation outcomes. These effects depend on cardiac tissue properties and interface conditions, influencing transmembrane potential changes.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Computational Biology
Background:
- Investigating transmembrane potential changes during implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) shocks.
- Testing hypotheses on the presence and characteristics of virtual electrode effects (VEE) during ICD shocks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To understand virtual electrode effects (VEE) in defibrillation conditions.
- To numerically and experimentally test anisotropy-dependent VEE in myocardium and surface VEE under specific conditions.
Main Methods:
- Combined numerical modeling and experimental optical mapping on Langendorff-perfused rabbit hearts.
- Simulated defibrillation shocks using an ellipsoidal bidomain heart model with transmural fiber rotation.
- Applied monophasic shocks via specific electrode configurations in both modeling and experiments.
Main Results:
- Numerical simulations revealed VEE in a significant portion of the myocardium with unequal anisotropy ratios.
- Experimental optical mapping confirmed VEE presence and characteristics.
- Variations in interface conditions led to statistically significant differences in predicted and observed epicardial polarization patterns.
Conclusions:
- Virtual electrode effects (VEE) are present during transvenous defibrillation.
- VEE are influenced by cardiac tissue characteristics and interface conditions.
- The significant size of VEE suggests a notable contribution to defibrillation success.
Related Concept Videos
The Electrical Double Layer
In the region where two bulk phases meet, an intricate electric charge distribution arises due to charge transfer, ion adsorption, molecular orientation, and charge distortion. This complex distribution is commonly referred to as the electrical double layer.When a solid electrode interfaces with ions in an electrolyte solution, the speed of electron transfer dictates the rates of oxidation and reduction. The electrode acquires a charge through the escape of atoms into the solution as cations or...
Processes at Electrodes
The electrode interacts with ions in the electrolyte solution at its interface. The rate of oxidation and reduction depends on the speed at which electrons can transfer through this interface. As ions attach to or leave the electrode surface, the electrode acquires a charge, and an electrical potential forms across the interface, making the process more difficult to reach equilibrium. The charge on the electrode affects the local ion concentrations in the solution, though thermal motion...

