ABSTRACT
UNLABELLED: Electroventilation is the technique of producing inspiration with stimuli applied to inspiratory muscles by using strategically placed electrodes on or within the body. We conducted studies using the dog to determine the efficacy of monopolar and bipolar intratracheal electrodes for electroventilation. Bipolar electrodes were able to produce an inspired volume greater than a spontaneous tidal volume in all seven dogs, but monopolar electrodes were able to in only three of seven dogs. The intratracheal electrode has the advantage over body-surface electrodes that less current is required to produce a single tidal volume, and it has the advantage over intraesophageal electrodes that anatomical placement of the electrode is simplified. These experiments demonstrated that a bipolar electrode can be used for electroventilation. IMPLICATIONS: This study demonstrates that electroventilation is possible with intratracheal electrodes, decreasing the current needed to electroventilate by using body-surface electrodes. Two different methods of intratracheal electroventilation can be used: monopolar, in which the return electrode is on the body surface; and bipolar, in which the return electrode is in the trachea.
