Defibrillator with overridable CPR-first protocol

• US 20060167505A1
• Filed: 01/26/2005
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Physio-Control Incorporated (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Emergency Response Systems Inc (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Nova, Richard C., Kavounas, Gregory T., Hampton, David Robert, Banville, Isabelle
• Granted Patent: US 7,937,146 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/39044 in combination with cardiopulmonary resuscitation [CPR] therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3993 User interfaces for automatic external defibrillators

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for determining a defibrillation treatment protocol in an external defibrillator whereby a user may override a CPR-first default protocol. The method includes following steps configured in a defibrillator controller of issuing an inquiry; waiting for a response to the inquiry for a set time; ordering a CPR treatment protocol if no response is received within the set time; analyzing a response; ordering a CPR treatment protocol upon receiving a non-affirmative response to the inquiry; and ordering a shock treatment protocol upon receiving an affirmative response to the inquiry. Upon selecting a shock treatment protocol, the defibrillator performs a shock analysis under the shock treatment protocol, and either orders a CPR treatment protocol if shock treatment is not indicated by the shock analysis or provides a defibrillation shock if shock treatment is indicated by the shock analysis. Queries may be presented to a user in visual, audible, or both visual and audible format.

Claims

1. A method for determining a defibrillation treatment protocol comprising:

issuing an inquiry;

waiting for a response to the inquiry for a set time;

ordering a CPR treatment protocol if no response is received within the set time;

ordering a CPR treatment protocol if a non-affirmative response to the inquiry is received; and

ordering a shock treatment protocol if an affirmative response to the inquiry is received.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of

activating a defibrillator;

performing a shock analysis under the shock treatment protocol;

ordering a CPR treatment protocol if shock treatment is not advised by the shock analysis; and

providing a defibrillation shock if shock treatment is advised by the shock analysis.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the step of issuing an inquiry further comprises issuing an inquiry to a user of the defibrillator.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising bypassing the steps of issuing an inquiry;

waiting for a response;

ordering a CPR treatment protocol if no response is received within the set time;

analyzing a response; and

ordering a CPR treatment prtotocol, by immediately directing a shock therapy protocol.

5. The method according to claim 2 wherein the defibrillator includes a controller and the step of issuing an inquiry comprises issuing an inquiry within a controller.

6. The method according to claim 2 wherein the defibrillator has CPR set as a default initial treatment protocol, and further comprising the steps of:

outputting a query to a user whether to bypass the default initial CPR protocol;

initiating a timer upon outputting the query that runs for a set time;

ordering the CPR protocol if a response has not been received within a set time from the outputting of the query;

if a response to the query is received, analyzing the response;

ordering the CPR protocol if the response to the query is negative;

ordering the CPR protocol if the response to the query is any response other than affirmative;

ordering a shock analysis if the response to the query is affirmative;

providing a defibrillation shock if the shock analysis advises a shock be provided; and

ordering the CPR treatment protocol if the shock analysis advises no shock be provided.

7. The method according to claim 6 further comprising the steps of attaching ECG probes which are coupled to the defibrillator, to the patient and receiving data from the patient into the defibrillator.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the data received from the patient into the defibrillator comprises a response to the query.

9. The method according to claim 6 wherein the step of outputting a query further comprises outputting a series of queries.

10. The method according to claim 6 further comprising overriding the query and response sequence by immediately directing a shock therapy analysis.

11. A method of operating an external defibrillator that is configured to provide a defibrillation shock to a patient, comprising the steps of:

turning on the defibrillator so as to activate the internal operation of the device;

attaching defibrillator electrodes to the patient;

receiving a CPR override query issued by the defibrillator; and

responding to the CPR override query.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the step of responding to the CPR override query further comprises responding within a set time of receiving the CPR override query.

13. The method according to claim 11 wherein the step of responding to the CPR override query further comprises inputting a response.

14. The method according to claim 11 wherein the step of responding to the CPR override query further comprises uttering an audible response capable of being received by a microphone on the defibrillator.

15. The method according to claim 11 wherein the step of receiving a CPR override query further comprises reading a text query.

16. The method according to claim 11 wherein the step of receiving a CPR override query further comprises hearing an audible signal.

17. An external defibrillator for providing a selected treatment protocol to a patient comprising:

a plurality of electrodes affixed to the defibrillator and capable of being attached to a patient so as to provide shock therapy and to provide patient data to the defibrillator;

an input device disposed on the defibrillator;

an output device disposed on the defibrillator;

a controller disposed in said defibrillator, said controller coupled to said plurality of electrodes, said input device, and said output device, and said controller also configured to;

issue a query as an output;

wait for an input response to the query;

order a CPR protocol if no response to the query is received within a set time;

analyze a response input received within the set time;

order the CPR protocol if a non-affirmative response is received; and

order a shock protocol if an affirmative response is received.

18. The external defibrillator according to claim 17 further comprising an override function that immediately selects a shock treatment protocol.

19. The defibrillator according to claim 17 wherein the output device comprises a screen.

20. The defibrillator according to claim 17 wherein the output device comprises a speaker capable of providing audible sound to a defibrillator user.

21. The defibrillator according to claim 20 wherein the controller is configured to provide voice prompts through said speaker as a query.

22. The defibrillator according to claim 17 wherein the input device comprises a microphone and the controller is configured to recognize voice commands spoken through the microphone as an input response.

23. The defibrillator according to claim 17 wherein the controller is further configured so as to receive patient data from the plurality of electrodes as an input response to the query.

24. An AED comprising:

a controller;

means for delivering defibrillation therapy to a patient, wherein said means is linked to the controller;

means for prompting a treatment protocol to an operator, wherein said means for prompting is linked to the controller; and

means for overriding the treatment protocol, wherein the means for overriding is linked to the controller.

25. The AED according to claim 24 wherein the means for prompting further comprises means for selecting a CPR treatment protocol.

26. The AED according to claim 24 wherein the means for overriding comprises an input device.