AUTHOR=Suwalski Grzegorz , Galanty Marek , Degórska Beata , Sterna Jacek , Frymus Jan , Baranski Mikhal , Trębacz Piotr , Janczak Daniel , Lepak-Kuc Sandra , Jakubowska Małgorzata 

TITLE=Rapid cardiac ischemia detection with an epicardial graphene probe

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine

VOLUME=Volume 10 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cardiovascular-medicine/articles/10.3389/fcvm.2023.1111651

DOI=10.3389/fcvm.2023.1111651

ISSN=2297-055X

ABSTRACT=Introduction. New probe was designed to enable electrocardiography of rotated heart during cardiac surgery when skin electrodes are not functional. Created probe adheres noninvasively to epicardium and collects ECG signal independently from heart position. Study compared accuracy of cardiac ischemia detection between classic skin and epicardial electrodes in animal model. Methods. Using 6 pigs, open chest model was arranged with cardiac ischaemia induction by coronary artery ligation in two non-physiologic heart positions. Correctness of detection and time to detection of electrocardiographic symptoms of acute cardiac ischemia were compared between skin and epicardial methods of signal collection. Results. Heart rotation to expose either anterior or posterior wall resulted in distortion or loss of ECG signal collected by skin electrodes. After coronary artery ligation standard skin ECG monitoring did not reveal any ischemia symptoms. Attachment of epicardial probe on anterior and posterior wall recovered normal ECG wave. After ligation of coronary artery epicardial probes recorded cardiac ischemia within 40 seconds. Discussion. Study proved ability of ECG monitoring with epicardial probes in rotated heart. Epicardial probes can detect acute ischaemia of rotated heart while skin ECG monitoring is ineffective.