Transmyocardial impedance during single and multiple internal ventricular defibrillation shocks.

Little is known about the transmyocardial impedance during internal ventricular defibrillation. In a canine model, using high rate on-line digitization, random shock delivery, and titanium electrodes, we determined the relationship among voltage, current, and impedance, delivered energy, and defibrillation success within the individual and within successive defibrillation shocks. Impedance decreased with repeated defibrillation in 10 of 11 dogs. Impedance always increased during trapezoidal discharges, whereas voltage decreased. Impedance was lower with high energy-voltage shocks in all dogs. Visually, voltage and current waveform did not show a phase shift. There was no difference in the total energy delivered and the energy converted into heat by the resistive part of the impedance. With a formula valid only for resistive loads, the capacitance of the defibrillator was calculated to be within the measurement accuracy and tolerance of the factory-provided value of 132 microF. Polarization voltage was consistently observed. Thus the transmyocardial impedance during defibrillation is primarily resistive, nonlinear voltage dependent, and declines with successive shocks. Defibrillation success was not influenced by these phenomena.