Patent ID: 6889093
Filing Date: 2005-05-03
Classification: A61N

Abstract:
1. An electrode arrangement for the endocardial discharge of defibrillation pulses in one of the atrium and ventricle of the heart, comprising: an electrode lead having an undivided proximal end, a distal end and a splitter from which at least two branches of the electrode lead extend to the distal end, each branch having a central core extending from the splitter of the electrode lead; and a plurality of electrically conductive surface portions disposed on the at least two branches, said plurality of electrically conductive surface portions for being electrically connected by way of the electrode lead to an electrical pulse-discharging device at the proximal end of the electrode lead, wherein the at least two branches include a septal branch and a lateral branch, and the septal branch and lateral branch each have an equal number of electrically conductive surface portions disposed thereon, and each electrically conductive surface portion of the septal branch is unambiguously associated in pairs with an electrically conductive surface portion of the lateral branch, and wherein each pair is actuated in such a way that two electrically conductive surface portions of a pair serve as an anode and a cathode in a bipolar mode of operation and each actuated pair defines a layer spanning from the electrical conductive surface portion of the septal branch to the electrically conductive surface portion of the lateral branch thereby dividing cardiac tissue resulting in a better defibrillation device.