THE INJURY CURRENT IN THE ELECTROCARDIOGRAM

Abstract

Injury to the right or left ventricle in 13 dogs under Dial anesthesia was produced by KC1, burn, or occlusion of coronary arteries. Two types of expts. were performed. In one the evolution of the injury current was recorded by a string galvanometer; in the other the injured area was covered by insulating material and the injury current was revealed by short-circuiting the insulation. Injury to the right ventricle causes an upward displacement of the diastolic baseline in the three standard leads of the electrocardiogram. Injury to the left ventricle produces a downward displacement of the diastolic base-line. During systole there is a return of the string to the isopotential level which constitutes the S-T segment. In reality, therefore, elevated S-T segments must be interpreted as due to an injury potential resulting from left ventricular damage, which produces in the electrocardiogram a downward displacement of the diastolic base-line. Depressed S-T segments must be interpreted as due to an injury potential resulting from right ventricular damage, which produces in the electrocardiogram an upward displacement of the diastolic baseline.