Simplified ECG monitoring system

• US 20080077027A1
• Filed: 09/12/2006
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dean O. Allgeyer
• Original Assignee: Dean O. Allgeyer
• Inventors: Allgeyer, Dean O.
• Granted Patent: US 7,610,085 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/509
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0215 Silver or silver chloride containing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02233 Occluders specially adapted therefor tourniquets A61B17/132
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/145 Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/251 Means for maintaining electrode contact with the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/265 containing silver or silver chloride
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/28 for electrocardiography [ECG]

Abstract

A simplified device and method for continuous ECG monitoring incorporates electrodes in a pulse oximeter finger probe and/or in a blood pressure cuff. The electrodes in the pulse oximeter and blood pressure cuff generate a continuous ECG tracing without the use of disposable electrodes connected to multiple electrical wires in an ECG harness. In another embodiment, simplified ECG monitoring system can act as a secondary ECG input to a system that uses a primary ECG input as well.

Claims

1. In an ECG patient monitoring system processing at least one ECG lead connected to a display for a cardiac tracing, the improvement comprising:

an electrical connection operatively connected to the ECG tracing display and to at least one of a pulse oximeter and a blood pressure cuff; and

an electrode configured to be in operative connection with the at least one of a pulse oximeter and/or blood pressure cuff and in operative connection with the patient.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the electrode is a part of the at least one of a pulse oximeter and blood pressure cuff.

3. The invention of claim 2, including all of the limitations of the invention in claim 1, wherein the electrode is a dry electrode comprising a sintered coating of Ag/AgCl.

4. The invention of claim 1, wherein the electrical connection is connected to the pulse oximeter and to the blood pressure cuff and comprises an ECG lead to generate an ECG signal, and the pulse oximeter and the blood pressure cuff are each connected to at least one electrode that is in operative connection with the patient.

5. The invention of claim 4, including all of the limitations of the invention in claim 1, further comprising a ground electrode operatively connected to the patient.

6. A system for monitoring a patient'"'"'s oxygen saturation level, blood pressure, and cardiac function, comprising:

an ECG display;

a blood pressure cuff connected to a blood pressure display;

a pulse oximeter connected to an oxygen saturation display;

an ECG electrode operatively connected to the pulse oximeter; and

an electrical connection between the ECG electrode and the ECG display.

7. The monitoring system of claim 6, further comprising an ECG electrode operatively connected to the blood pressure cuff and an electrical connection between the blood pressure cuff ECG electrode and the ECG display.

8. The monitoring system of claim 7, including the limitations of the invention of claim 6, further including a second ECG electrode connected to the pulse oximeter and an electrical ground connected to the second ECG electrode.

9. The monitoring system of claim 7, including the limitations of the invention of claim 6, wherein the ECG display, the oxygen saturation display, and the blood pressure display comprise a unitary display of the ECG, the oxygen saturation level, and the blood pressure.

10. The monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the ECG electrode connected to the pulse oximeter is part of the pulse oximeter.

11. The monitoring system of claim 10, including the limitations of the invention of claim 6, wherein the ECG electrode is comprised of a sintered coating of Ag/AgCl.

12. The monitoring system of claim 8, including the limitations of the inventions of claim 6 and claim 7, wherein all of the ECG electrodes are comprised of a sintered coating of Ag/AgCl.

13. The monitoring system of claim 12, including all of the limitations of the inventions of claim 6, claim 7, and claim 8, wherein each ECG electrode connected to the pulse oximeter is part of the pulse oximeter and the ECG electrode connected to the blood pressure cuff is part of the blood pressure cuff.

14. The monitoring system of claim 13, including all the limitations of claims 6-8 and 12, further comprising at least one of hardware and software polarity detection logic.

15. A method for displaying a patient'"'"'s ECG tracing, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation level, comprising:

attaching to the patient a pulse oximeter having at least one ECG electrode, the pulse oximeter and the ECG electrode each operatively connected to a display;

attaching to the patient a blood pressure cuff, the blood pressure cuff operatively connected to the display; and

displaying the patient'"'"'s ECG, oxygen saturation level, and blood pressure.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of attaching the pulse oximeter includes a pulse oximeter with two ECG electrodes, one of the ECG electrodes comprising an electrical ground.

17. The method of claim 16, including all of the limitations of the method of claim 15, wherein the step of attaching a blood pressure cuff includes a blood pressure cuff with an ECG electrode operatively connected to the display.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the ECG, the oxygen saturation level, and the blood pressure are displayed simultaneously.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the ECG, the oxygen saturation level, and the blood pressure are displayed sequentially.

20. The method of claim 17, including all of the limitations of the method of claims 15 and 16, further comprising the steps of checking the polarity of the ECG signal, determining if the polarity of the ECG signal is correct, and reversing the polarity of the ECG signal if it is not correct.

21. A system for monitoring and displaying a patient'"'"'s oxygen saturation level, blood pressure, and cardiac function, comprising:

a display;

a blood pressure cuff connected to the display;

a pulse oximeter connected to the display;

a pair of ECG electrodes operatively connected to the pulse oximeter;

an ECG electrode operatively connected to the blood pressure cuff; and

an electrical connection between the ECG electrodes and the display, whereby the display provides the patient'"'"'s blood pressure, oxygen saturation level, and an ECG tracing generated by the ECG electrodes.

22. The monitoring system of claim 21, wherein the ECG electrodes are reusably affixed to the pulse oximeter and the blood pressure cuff.

23. The monitoring system of claim 22, including the limitations of claim 21, wherein the electrodes are comprised of a sintered coating of Ag/AgCl.

24. The monitoring system of claim 22, including the limitations of claim 21, further comprising a primary ECG input, wherein the reusable ECG electrodes connected to the pulse oximeter and blood pressure cuff comprise a secondary ECG input to the monitoring system.

25. The monitoring system of claim 24, including the limitations of claims 21 and 22, further comprising signal processing logic for determining and displaying a correct polarity of the secondary ECG input.

26. The monitoring system of claim 24, including the limitations of claims 21 and 22, further comprising 1) signal processing logic for determining the correct and incorrect functioning of the primary ECG input, and 2) signal processing logic for adapting the secondary ECG input to operate as part of the primary ECG input.