Influence of defibrillation treatment on some electrical parameters and application safety of ECG electrodes

The subject of examination was mainly the determination of safety of available ECG electrodes use in conditions of defibrillation treatment in monitored patients. The electrodes of four European producers used in healthcare have been tested. For reason of periods of electrodes obtaining and their physical condition, the examinations have comprised four selected years and 7 types of electrodes. For testing needs, the electrodes were glued into pairs, in gel-to-gel mode. Testing was based on requirements of globally used American ANSI⁄AAMI EC 12:2000⁄(R)2010 standard for disposable ECG electrodes. For the electrodes pairs tested, determined was the influence of fourfold defibrillation release on polarization potential and their impedance measured with the current of 10 Hz frequency. It has been generally found that in result of fourfold exposition to defibrillating pulse the drop of impedance occurred in all tested, electrode pairs. For each electrodes series, mean value of this drop falls into interval of 10,8% to 57%. It was also pointed out that the ECG electrodes examined, while complying to requirements of the standard, allow the operator to perform the defibrillation procedure safely, including the possibility to fast evaluate the defibrillation result basing on ECG waveform recorded. Such general estimation of safety level of the available European ECG electrodes may be used as some reference in today very diversified market as to provenience end quality of products.