Automated external defibrillator with user interface for adult and pediatric applications

• US 20030195567A1
• Filed: 04/10/2002
• Published: 10/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Physio-Control Incorporated (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Physio-Control Corp. (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Nova, Richard C., Jayne, Cynthia P., Daynes, John C., Lank, Paula, Santolla, Anthony J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,990,373 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3904 External heart defibrillators [EHD]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3943 for threshold determination
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3993 User interfaces for automatic external defibrillators

Abstract

An automated external defibrillator automatically determines the type of patient to which it is attached based on patient-specific information entered by the user. The defibrillator includes electrodes that are adapted for placement on a patient, a pulse generator connected to the electrodes, and processing circuitry that controls the defibrillation pulse delivery from the pulse generator. The automated external defibrillator causes a defibrillation pulse to be delivered to the patient in accordance with the determined patient type. A user interface having a user input connected to the processing circuitry enables the user of the defibrillator to enter patient-specific information. The user may enter the patient-specific information by interacting with the user input during a time period in relation to a prompt from the defibrillator. In another aspect, data pertaining to identification of the type of patient connected to the electrodes may be recorded with event data in a memory.

Claims

1. An automated external defibrillator that delivers defibrillation therapy to adult and pediatric patients, comprising:

(a) electrodes that are adapted for placement on a patient;

(b) a pulse generator connected to the electrodes that delivers a defibrillation pulse to the patient;

(c) processing circuitry connected to the pulse generator that controls the defibrillation pulse delivery; and

(d) a user interface including a user input connected to the processing circuitry that enables a user of the defibrillator to enter patient-specific information reflecting the magnitude of a physical attribute of the patient into the defibrillator,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to automatically

(1) determine a patient type based on the patient-specific information entered by the user; and

(2) cause the pulse generator to deliver a defibrillation pulse to the patient in accordance with the patient determination.

2. The automated external defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the determined patient type is selected from the group consisting of adult, pediatric, and infant patient types.

3. The automated external defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the user interface includes a user output that prompts the user to enter the patient-specific information, said patient-specific information being entered by user interaction with the user input during a time period in relation to the prompt.

4. The automated external defibrillator of claim 3, wherein the user enters different patient-specific information depending on the time period in which the user interacts with the user input.

5. The automated external defibrillator of claim 3, wherein the user output is further configured to provide multiple prompts and wherein said patient-specific information is entered by user interaction with the user input in time relation to one of the prompts.

6. The automated external defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the patient-specific information entered by the user reflects an approximate age of the patient.

7. The automated external defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the patient-specific information entered by the user reflects an approximate weight of the patient.

8. The automated external defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the user input comprises an extendable variable-length element that is extendable from the defibrillator or from a separate device, and wherein the patient-specific information is entered by the user by extending said element to approximate a physical distance related to the patient.

9. The automated external defibrillator of claim 8, wherein the physical distance is related to a height of the patient.

10. The automated external defibrillator of claim 8, wherein the physical distance is related to a length of a limb of the patient.

11. The automated external defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine a defibrillation pulse dosage to be delivered to the patient based on the patient determination and cause the pulse generator to deliver a defibrillation pulse to the patient in accordance with the determined dosage.

12. The automated external defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine a defibrillation therapy protocol based on the patient determination and cause the pulse generator to deliver a defibrillation pulse to the patient in accordance with the determined protocol.

13. The automated external defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the user input is comprised of a microphone and voice recognition circuitry capable of receiving and processing user speech, and wherein the patient-specific information is recognized and entered into the defibrillator from the user'"'"'s speech.

14. An automated external defibrillator that delivers defibrillation therapy to adult and pediatric patients, comprising:

(a) electrodes that are adapted for placement on a patient;

(b) a pulse generator connected to the electrodes that delivers a defibrillation pulse to the patient;

(c) processing circuitry connected to the pulse generator that controls the defibrillation pulse delivery; and

(d) a user interface including a user input comprised of a port connected to the processing circuitry that enables a user of the defibrillator to enter patient-specific information into the defibrillator,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to automatically

(1) determine a patient type based on the patient-specific information entered by the user; and

(2) cause the pulse generator to deliver a defibrillation pulse to the patient in accordance with the patient determination.

15. The automated external defibrillator of claim 14, wherein the user input is comprised of two or more separate ports in the defibrillator for connecting the electrodes to the defibrillator, and wherein patient-specific information is communicated by the user to the processing circuitry by virtue of the port to which the user connects the electrodes.

16. The automated external defibrillator of claim 15, wherein one port is designated for connecting the electrodes to a pediatric patient and another port is designated for connecting the electrodes to an adult patient.

17. The automated external defibrillator of claim 14, wherein the user input is comprised of a port that receives information from an external device, and wherein the patient-specific information is communicated to the defibrillator from the external device.

18. The automated external defibrillator of claim 17, wherein the port is a wireless communication port that receives information from the external device via wireless transmission.

19. A user interface for use with an automated external defibrillator that delivers electrotherapy, the defibrillator including electrodes that are placed on a patient and electrotherapy generating circuitry that delivers the electrotherapy to the patient via the electrodes, the user interface comprising:

(a) a user input that enables a user of the defibrillator to enter patient-specific information reflecting the magnitude of a physical attribute of the patient; and

(b) a processing unit connected to the user input for receiving the patient-specific information entered by the user, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to automatically

(1) determine a patient type based on the patient-specific information entered by the user; and

(2) communicate the patient determination to the defibrillator.

20. The user interface of claim 19, further comprising a user output that prompts the user to enter the patient-specific information via the user input.

21. The user interface of claim 20, wherein the patient-specific information depends on the time period in relation to the prompt in which the user interacts with the user input.

22. The user interface of claim 19, wherein the determined patient type is selected from the group consisting of adult, pediatric, and infant patient types.

23. The user interface of claim 19, wherein the processing unit is further configured to automatically determine an electrotherapy dosage to be delivered to the patient based on the patient determination and communicate the determined dosage to the defibrillator.

24. The user interface of claim 23, wherein the processing unit is further configured to automatically cause the electrotherapy generating circuitry of the defibrillator to deliver electrotherapy to the patient in accordance with the determined dosage.

25. The user interface of claim 19, wherein the processing unit is further configured to automatically determine an electrotherapy protocol for the patient based on the patient determination and communicate the determined protocol to the defibrillator.

26. The user interface of claim 19, wherein the user input is comprised of a microphone and voice recognition circuitry capable of receiving and processing user speech, and wherein the patient-specific information is recognized and entered into the user input from the user'"'"'s speech.

27. The user interface of claim 19, wherein the configuration of the electrodes can be modified by the user depending on the type of patient, and wherein the user input is comprised of an indicator in the electrodes that indicates the configuration of the electrodes, the processing unit being further configured to receive the patient-specific information by detecting the configuration of the electrodes via the indicator.

28. A user interface for use with an automated external defibrillator that delivers electrotherapy, the defibrillator including electrodes that are placed on a patient and electrotherapy generating circuitry that delivers the electrotherapy to the patient via the electrodes, the user interface comprising:

(a) a user input comprised of a port that enables a user of the defibrillator to enter patient-specific information; and

(b) a processing unit connected to the user input for receiving the patient-specific information entered by the user, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to automatically

(1) determine a patient type based on the patient-specific information entered by the user; and

(2) communicate the patient determination to the defibrillator.

29. The user interface of claim 28, wherein the user input is comprised of two or more separate ports for connecting the electrodes to the defibrillator, and wherein patient-specific information is communicated by the user to the processing circuitry by virtue of the port to which the user connects the electrodes.

30. The user interface of claim 29, wherein one port is designated for connecting the electrodes to a pediatric patient and another port is designated for connecting the electrodes to an adult patient.

31. The user interface of claim 28, wherein the port is a wireless communication port that receives the patient-specific information from the external device via wireless transmission.

32. The user interface of claim 31, wherein the port is an electrode port, and wherein the external device is an electronic circuit connected in series between the defibrillator and the electrodes, the electronic circuit being configured to provide the patient-specific information to the defibrillator.

33. The user interface of claim 31, wherein the electronic circuit includes a patient selection control that the user may manipulate to identify the patient type.

34. An automated external defibrillator that delivers defibrillation therapy and records event data in a memory, comprising:

(a) electrodes that are adapted for placement on a patient;

(b) a pulse generator connected to the electrodes that delivers a defibrillation pulse to the patient;

(c) processing circuitry connected to the pulse generator that controls the defibrillation pulse delivery; and

(d) a memory connected to the processing circuitry;

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to automatically

(1) collect first data pertaining to identification of the type of patient connected to the electrodes;

(2) collect second data pertaining to evaluation and delivery of defibrillation therapy to the patient; and

(3) record the first and second data as event data in the memory.

35. The automated external defibrillator of claim 34, further comprising a user interface that includes a user input connected to the processing circuitry, the user interface enabling a user of the defibrillator to enter patient-specific information into the defibrillator, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to collect said first data by determining the type of patient based on the patient-specific information entered by the user.

36. The automated external defibrillator of claim 35, wherein the determined patient type is selected from the group consisting of adult, pediatric, and infant patient types.

37. The automated external defibrillator of claim 35, wherein the user interface includes a user output that prompts the user to enter the patient-specific information, said patient-specific information being entered by user interaction with the user input during a time period in relation to the prompt.

38. The automated external defibrillator of claim 37, wherein the user input enters different patient-specific information depending on the time period in which the user interacts with the user input.

39. The automated external defibrillator of claim 35, wherein the user input comprises a patient selection control that the user may manipulate to identify the patient type.

40. The automated external defibrillator of claim 35, wherein the patient-specific information entered by the user reflects an approximate age of the patient.

41. The automated external defibrillator of claim 35, wherein the patient-specific information entered by the user reflects an approximate weight of the patient.

42. The automated external defibrillator of claim 35, wherein the user input comprises a variable-length element that is extendable from the defibrillator or from a separate device, and wherein the patient-specific information is entered by the user by extending said element to approximate a physical distance related to the patient.

43. The automated external defibrillator of claim 42, wherein the physical distance is related to a height of the patient.

44. The automated external defibrillator of claim 42, wherein the physical distance is related to a length of a limb of the patient.

45. The automated external defibrillator of claim 35, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine a defibrillation pulse dosage to be delivered to the patient based on the patient determination.

46. The automated external defibrillator of claim 35, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine a defibrillation therapy protocol based on the patient determination.

47. The automated external defibrillator of claim 35, wherein the user input is comprised of two or more separate ports in the defibrillator for connecting the electrodes to the defibrillator, and wherein patient-specific information is communicated by the user to the processing circuitry by virtue of the port to which the user connects the electrodes.

48. The automated external defibrillator of claim 47, wherein one port is designated for connecting the electrodes to a pediatric patient and another port is designated for connecting the electrodes to an adult patient.

49. The automated external defibrillator of claim 35, wherein the user input is comprised of a port that receives information from an external device, and wherein the patient-specific information is communicated to the defibrillator from the external device.

50. The automated external defibrillator of claim 49, wherein the port is a wireless communication port that receives information from the external device via wireless transmission.

51. The automated external defibrillator of claim 35, wherein the user input is comprised of a microphone and voice recognition circuitry capable of receiving and processing user speech, and wherein the patient-specific information is recognized and entered into the defibrillator from the user'"'"'s speech.

52. The automated external defibrillator of claim 34, wherein the processing circuitry is further connected to the electrodes and is further configured to collect the first data pertaining to identification of the patient type by detecting the configuration of the electrodes placed on the patient.

53. The automated external defibrillator of claim 52, wherein the electrodes include an indicator capable of detection by the processing circuitry of the defibrillator that indicates the configuration of the electrodes.