Optimizing the Material, Inter-distance and Temperature Effect of Intramuscular Electrodes used to Stimulate the Thoracic Diaphragm

Abstract

The technique of electrically stimulating thethoracic diaphragm is conducted by implanting a diaphragmaticpacemaker, in which the phrenic nerve is stimulated, resulting instimulating the diaphragm. A diaphragmatic pacemaker isusually implanted for a long period of time. Intramuscularelectrodes can be used for stimulating the diaphragm, for suchconditions in which phrenic nerve stimulation cannot be done.The material and inter-distance of the stimulation electrodes arevery important in order to stimulate the diaphragm in efficientmanner. This paper explains the Optimization of material, interdistanceand temperature effect of intramuscular electrodes usedto stimulate the thoracic diaphragm. A model has beenconstructed and simulated on the software COMSOL Multiphysics,whose results shows that the threshold musclestimulation is achieved when 1 volt is applied at the electrode, 15cm apart from each other. The result further suggested that thiskind of electrical stimulation cannot produce significant thermaleffect on the tissues.