ELECTRODE SYSTEM FOR IMPROVED DETECTION OF PAD CONTACT AND ARTIFACT DETECTION OR REMOVAL

• US 20010051821A1
• Filed: 04/08/1999
• Published: 12/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: SNYDER, DAVID E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,658,291 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/142
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/259 using conductive adhesive means, e.g. gels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/276 Protection against electrode failure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7207 of noise induced by motion artifacts
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/046 Specially adapted for shock therapy, e.g. defibrillation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0492 Patch electrodes A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence

Abstract

This invention relates generally to medical electrode systems. In particular, the electrodes of this invention are capable of delivering synchronized cardioversion energy pulses as well as defibrillation energy pulses to a patient. The electrodes of this invention are appropriate for use with an automatic or semi-automatic external defibrillator (“AED”) as well as defibrillators capable of cardioversion. At least one electrode in an electrode set has a substrate with an adhesive surface, and conductors in communication with the substrate. The electrode further has a plurality of conductive elements electrode elements disposed on a substrate wherein each electrode element is in a spatial relationship to each other and electrically connected to the conductors, further the spatial relationship of the conductors facilitates the determination of an overall electrode pad attachment quality. A method of using the electrodes of this invention is also described.

Claims

1. A medical electrode pad comprising:

a substrate with an adhesive surface;

conductors in communication with the substrate; and

a plurality of conductive electrode elements disposed on the substrate in a spatial relationship to each other and electrically connected to the conductors,

wherein the spatial relationship of the conductors facilitates the determination of an overall electrode pad attachment quality.

2. The medical electrode pad of

claim 1

wherein the conductive electrode elements are formed so that an estimate of the degree of electrode pad contact on a patient can be calculated based on the measurement of resistance between a set of at least two of the conductive electrode pad elements.

3. The medical electrode pad of

claim 2

wherein the conductive electrode elements used to estimate the degree of electrode pad contact have an annular spatial relationship to each other.

4. The medical electrode pad of

claim 2

wherein the conductive electrode elements are formed so that a patient skin resistivity can be calculated, insensitive to the degree of electrode pad contact, based on the measurement of resistance between a second set of at least two of the conductive electrode pad elements, wherein the skin resistivity used to refine the estimate of the degree of electrode pad contact on a patient.

5. The medical electrode pad of

claim 4

wherein the conductive electrode elements used to calculate the patient skin resistivity have an annular spatial relationship to each other.

6. The medical electrode pad of

claim 1

wherein the conductive electrode elements are formed so that an estimate of the degree of electrode pad contact on a patient can be calculated based on the measurement of conductance between a set of at least two of the conductive electrode pad elements.

7. The medical electrode pad of

claim 6

wherein the conductive electrode elements used to estimate the degree of electrode pad contact have an annular spatial relationship to each other.

8. The medical electrode pad of

claim 6

wherein the conductive electrode elements are formed so that a patient skin conductivity can be calculated, insensitive to the degree of electrode pad contact, based on the measurement of conductance between a second set of at least two of the conductive electrode pad elements, wherein the skin conductivity used to refine the estimate of the degree of electrode pad contact on a patient.

9. The medical electrode pad of

claim 8

wherein the conductive electrode elements used to calculate the patient skin conductivity have an annular spatial relationship to each other.

10. The medical electrode pad of

claim 1

wherein the conductive electrode elements are formed so that an artifact reference signal can be detected based on the measurement of a differential voltage between a set of at least two of the conductive electrode pad elements.

11. A method of using a medical electrode pad comprising:

applying an electrode pad having a plurality of conductive electrode elements to a patient; and

determining a pad attachment quality for an electrode pad based on a measured resistance between a first and second conductive element, the gap width between the first and second conductive electrode element, the effective perimeter of the gap between the second and third electrode element, and a typical skin resistivity value.

12. A method of using a medical electrode pad comprising:

applying an electrode pad having a plurality of conductive electrode elements to a patient;

calculating a patient'"'"'s local skin resistivity based on a measured resistance between a first and second conductive element, the gap width between the first and second conductive electrode element, and the effective perimeter of the gap between the first and second electrode element; and

determining a pad attachment quality for an electrode pad based on the local skin resistivity so calculated, the gap width between a third and fourth conductive electrode element, the measured resistance between the third and fourth conductive element and the effective perimeter of the gap between the third and fourth electrode element.

13. The method of

claim 12

in which:

one of the first and second electrode elements, and one of the third and fourth electrode elements comprise the same element.

14. A method of using a medical electrode pad comprising:

applying an electrode pad having a plurality of conductive electrode elements to a patient; and

determining a pad attachment quality for an electrode pad based on a measured conductance between a first and second conductive element, the gap width between the first and second conductive electrode element, the effective perimeter of the gap between the second and third electrode element, and a typical skin conductivity value.

15. A method of using a medical electrode pad comprising:

applying an electrode pad having a plurality of conductive electrode elements to a patient;

calculating a patient'"'"'s local skin conductivity based on a measured conductance between a first and second conductive element, the gap width between the first and second conductive electrode element, and the effective perimeter of the gap between the first and second electrode element; and

determining a pad attachment quality for an electrode pad based on the local skin conductivity so calculated, the gap width between a third and fourth conductive electrode element, the measured conductance between the third and fourth conductive element and the effective perimeter of the gap between the third and fourth electrode element.

16. The method of

claim 15

in which:

one of the first and second electrode elements, and one of the third and fourth electrode elements comprise the same element.

17. A method of using a medical electrode pad comprising:

applying an electrode pad having a plurality of conductive electrode elements to a patient;

calculating an artifact reference signal based on a differential voltage value between at least two of the plurality of conductive electrode elements.