The Safety Factor for Electroventilation Measured by Production of Cardiac Ectopy in the Anesthetized Dog

The safety factor of electroventilation (ie, the ratio of the current required to produce an ectopic beat to the current required to produce an inspired volume of 225 ml, which is approximately twice tidal volume) was determined in 12 pentobarbital-anesthetized dogs using transthoracic electrodes positioned at the optimal electroventilation site. The optimal stimulation site for electroventilation was first determined using hand-held, stimulating electrodes. Then electrodes, 4.1 cm in diameter, were sutured bilaterally to the optimal stimulation site. The relationship between inspired volume and stimulus intensity was determined using a 0.8-s burst of stimuli (60/s) with a pulse duration of 0.1 ms. Using the same electrodes, the threshold current for producing ectopic beats was determined for single pulses ranging from 0.1 to 10 ms duration. In all dogs, the current required to produce an ectopic beat increased greatly as the pulse duration decreased. At 0.1 ms, the safety factor for electroventilation was calculated to be 25.8. (Chest 1989; 95:214-17)