Chapter 11
Application of electricity and
magnetism in medicine
Electrical Shock:
The level at which we can just feel the current (the
perception level) for:
A:adult men is 1 mA
B:women is 2/3 mA At 60 Hz
The perception level is frequency dependent; it rises
as the frequency increases above 100 Hz.
Between 1mA for men and 10mA level it causes
tingling sensitive in the hands.
At currents between 10-20 mA muscular contraction
takes place and many subject cannot let go of
electrodes
Electrical Shock:
Near100 m A pain and in some cases fainting occur.
Such current when it passes through the heart then it
is sufficient to cause ventricular fibrillation (rapid
irregular and ineffectual contraction of the
ventricles).
The heart responds to fibrillation during one portion
of its cycle the upswing of the (T) wave. It was
found that there is relation between the level of the
current and the time interval of exposure to cause
induction of fibrillation.
Electrical Shock:
Maximum current that will not induce fibrillation
(above which fibrillation will happed (I max).
I max= mA
t=time in sec
For exposure time
If time =1 sec I max= 116 mA
If time = 4 sec I max =58 mA
Electrical Shock:
Current levels of 6 A and above cause sustained.
Muscular contraction of the heart. If patient has
ventricular fibrillation brief shock from a
defibrillation usually restores normal coordinated
pumping in the heart.
To treat a patient with atrial fibrillation in this case
the defibrillator electrical pulse is applied after the
R wave (depolarization of the ventricles) but before
the upswing of the T wave.
:Electrical Shock
macro shock. electrical contact is made on the
surface of the body and the level of current that
cause damage and fibrillation is in mAmperes
micro shock: It is the shock which is occur when
the current is applied inside the body. it does not
move to pass through the high resistance of the skin
When current is applied inside the body then it does
not have to pass through the high-resistance of the
skin then
:Electrical Shock
Ventricular fibrillation can be induced with very much
smaller than current levels of macro shock.
It has been estimated that 30 μA through human heart
would cause ventricular fibrillation this exposure is
called Micro shock.
A patient in an intensive care units (ICU) may have a
pacemaker a catheter running through a major vessel
and touching the heart muscle to stimulate the heart if
own timing mechanism should fail. Some other
catheters contain wires or electrically conducting fluids
which provide-directly paths to the heart.
Electrical Shock:
To protect patients from Micro shock the
instruments power supply have three wires two for
AC power supply and one as ground wire which
connected to other two wires though two capacitors
the value of which depends on the: potential
difference.
frequency of AC power supply to pass the
unwanted leakage current that may cause fibrillation
(30 µA).
The main source of the leakage current is the
capacitance. Between the A.C power wires and
ground or between the power transformer
I leakage =
The impedance Xc of the capacitance C for the
applied voltage of frequency f is:
Xc=
I leakage =
30x10ˉ6 =220/ Xc
Xc =7.3x Ω
Xc=
7.3x =1/2π50*C
C=4.36x farad
Ways to reduce shock hazards in hospitals:
1.By using direct current (DC) to operate equipment.
Xc=1/2πfC and frequency(f) of D.C= 0
Then Xc=∞ then I leakage =V/∞ =0
2.By operated electrical equipment at frequencies
much higher than 50-60 Hz for example at f>1MHz.
3.By using rechargeable battery powered instruments
in diagnostic therapeutic and monitoring situations.
Low Frequency Electricity and Magnetism
in Medicine:
When electrical conductor is moved perpendicular to
the magnetic field, a voltage is induced in the conductor
proportional to the product of the magnetic field (B)
and the velocity (v) of the conductor (Faraday's law)
This law is also holds for conducting fluid moving
perpendicular to a magnetic field, such as blood
Blood acts as a conducting fluid. If it passes with mean
velocity v through a magnetic filed B , a voltage V is
induced between the electrodes such that:
V=Bdv
where d is the diameter of the conductor blood
vessel
The volume flow of blood (Q) through the vessel
can then be calculated
The volume flow of blood (Q)=mean velocity x
area of blood vessel
Q=
Measurement of skin Resistance:
Sweat gland activity are related to skin resistance.
Normal skin resistance (Basal skin resistance)called BSR
Variation of resistance from BSR called Galvanic skin
Response (GSR).
A decrease in skin resistance indicates increased in sweat
gland activity.
The GSR can be measured where there is Sweat gland
(Sole of the foot or palm of the hand).
GSR depends upon the activity of the sweat gland only
and not on the amount of the visible perspiration.
Method of skin resistance measurement and
its variation
1-We use two electrodes of silver-sliver chloride one
attached to the palm and other to the wrist or the
back of the hand.
2-A constant tiny direct current (I) of about 10 µA /
cm2 is passed through the electrodes, the resisting
voltage indicates GSR
GSR = IR
