Patent ID: 7706876

Claim:
A single-handle internal defibrillator adapted to apply defibrillation electrodes directly to a heart in an open heart procedure, comprising: a pair of paddles that includes a pair of electrodes respectively connected to first-end portions of the pair of paddles; the pair of paddles coupled to a single-handle, with at least one paddle of the pair of paddles being adjustable in position with respect to the other paddle; an adjustment mechanism, coupled to the single handle and to at least one of the paddles for adjusting the position of the electrode of at least one paddle with respect to the position of the electrode of the other paddle so that a distance between the electrodes is variable; and defibrillator circuitry coupled to the electrodes of the pair of paddles of the single-handle, further comprising a single discharge switch arranged at least partly within the single-handle, and wherein when the single discharge switch is actuatable by a same hand of an operator holding the single-handle which when actuated applies defibrillation energy to both paddles of the electrodes.