Apparatus for defibrillating a heart

Abstract From the Canadian patent

Apparatus for terminating ventricular fibrillation by the delivery of an asymmetric biphasic current pulse to three separate electrodes. A first catheter mounted electrode is located in the apex of the right ventricle (RV). A second electrode carried on the same catheter is located outside the atrium preferably in the superior vena cava (SV). A third plate electrode is located subcutaneously outside the chest cavity. Preferably the, SVC electrode and the subcutaneous plate electrode are electrically interconnected and an asymmetrical biphasic current pulse is applied between this electrode pair and the RV electrode to defibrillate the heart.