An Investigation of Electrical Surface Impact as a Three-Dimensional Low-Energy Defibrillation Method

Ventricular fibrillation is a medical emergency that leaves the heart unable to beat properly, and is fatal within minutes if left untreated. Furthermore, it’s the leading cause of sudden cardiac arrest according to the NIH, killing over 400,000 Americans every year. Previously, we’ve proposed a new low-energy defibrillation method to restore the heart to its normal rhythm during fibrillation. Our method required further investigation due to the presence of several important dynamical processes. In this dissertation, we report the results of these investigations. First, we will present our results related to a novel behavior called “flopping,” which occurs when a 3-D rotating electrical wave thought to be present during fibrillation reorients its axis of rotation, leading to our method’s failure. Second, we will investigate the effects of the alternation of the electrical properties of successive beats of the heart. Third, we will analyze optical mapping voltage data related to our method, generated in-lab at Georgia Institute of Technology. We will be looking for evidence of dynamical changes in wave propagation patterns consistent with how we expect our method to work. These studies will help direct future development of our low-energy defibrillation method.