Patent ID: 8095215

Claim:
An electrode arrangement for an electrical stimulation device comprising: an electrode line ( 10 ) comprising an electrical connection ( 120 ) at a proximal end of the electrode line; a plurality of conductive surface areas ( 14 , 16 ) in a region of a distal end of the electrode line wherein the plurality of conductive surface areas are configured to emit electrical pulses to a heart or to receive electrical signals from the heart; wherein the plurality of conductive surface areas are at least partly electrically connected with the electrical connection at the proximal end of the electrode line; an electrical switch ( 100 ), arranged within the electrical connection ( 120 ) or within the electrode line ( 10 ); wherein the electrical switch is electrically arranged between at least one connection contact of the electrical connection and, in each case, at least some of the plurality of conductive surface areas ( 14 b , 16 ); wherein the electrical switch has an initially electrically conductive or non-conductive component ( 52 ), which, is formed into a permanent configuration by an electrical pulse, that thus configures the initially electrically conductive or non-conductive component ( 52 ) into a permanently electrically non-conductive or conductive configuration, respectively, so that a respectively allocated conductive surface selected from said the plurality of conductive surface areas ( 14 b , 16 ) is subsequently permanently connected with a respective connection contact selected from the at least one connection contact of the electrical connection or is permanently electrically disconnected with a connection contact; wherein the electrical connection ( 120 ) at the proximal end of the electrode line ( 10 ) comprises two contacts and has an additional third contact ( 130 ), which is connected with a feed line ( 40 ) that is configured to be utilized as a programming line of the electrode line ( 10 ); wherein within the electrode line ( 10 ), a multiplexer ( 70 ) is integrated in such a manner that selectable electrically conductive surfaces are selectively connected before the configuration process with a respective contact of the electrical connection of the electrode line; wherein the electrical connection ( 120 ) is configured to be connected with an external test and programming device ( 140 ) to non-permanently connect said electrical connection to at least one of said plurality of conductive surface areas and to finally permanently connect said electrical connection to desired conductive surfaces areas; and, wherein said additional third contact ( 130 ) is not connected to said electrical stimulation device after said electrode line is coupled with said electrical stimulation device and wherein said electrical stimulation device comprises no multiplexer control lines.