System and Method for Providing Event Summary Information Using an Encoded Ecg Waveform

• US 20080255625A1
• Filed: 09/15/2006
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Powers, Daniel J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,233,255 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/227 Sensors with electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/319 Circuits for simulating ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/335 using integrated circuit memory devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3904 External heart defibrillators [EHD]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3968 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings A61N1/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3993 User interfaces for automatic external defibrillators

Abstract

Systems and methods for transferring medical information from a first medical monitoring device to a second device are provided. Medical information from the first medical monitoring device is encoded as an ECG waveform and the ECG waveform having the encoded medical information is provided to the second device as an input ECG waveform.

Claims

1. A method for transferring medical information from a first cardiac:

monitoring device to a second cardiac device, the method comprising;

monitoring an ECG of a patient using the first cardiac monitoring device;

generating output signals simulating the monitored ECG; and

receiving the output signals as ECG signals at the second cardiac device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising recording the monitored ECG.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein monitoring the ECG of the patient and receiving the output signals as ECG signals is not concurrent.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the output signals simulating the monitored ECG are generated concurrently with monitoring the ECG of the patient.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising connecting an ECG cable with snap connectors to the first cardiac monitoring device and the second cardiac device.

6. A method for transferring medical information from a first medical monitoring device to a second device, the method comprising:

encoding the medical information from the first medical monitoring device as an ECG waveform; and

providing the ECG waveform having the encoded medical information to the second device as an input ECG waveform.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the medical information encoded as an ECG waveform includes an ECG for a patient monitored by the first medical monitoring device.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the medical information encoded as an ECG waveform further includes event summary information.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the event summary information comprises at least one of one of elapsed time since monitoring of the patient began, time when the ECG waveform is provided to the second medical monitoring device, number of defibrillating shocks delivered to the patient, peak current of shock delivered to the patient, and patient impedance.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein providing the ECG waveform having the encoded medical information to the second medical monitoring device as an input ECG waveform comprises generating electrical signals provided to the second medical monitoring device over ECG lead cables.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein the first medical monitoring device comprises a first defibrillator having medical monitoring capability and the second medical monitoring device comprises a second defibrillator having a display for viewing the provided ECG waveform and having a printer for printing the provided ECG waveform.

12. A defibrillator, comprising:

electrodes configured to be attached to a patient and through which medical information of the patient is obtained;

a controller coupled to the electrodes and operable to encode the medical information of the patient as an ECG waveform; and

a connector coupled to the controller and configured to be coupled to ECG lead cables and provide the ECG waveform having the encoded medical information therethrough.

13. The defibrillator of claim 12 wherein the medical information includes an ECG of the patient and the defibrillator further comprises an ECG circuit coupled to the electrodes and controller, the ECG circuit operable to digitize the ECG of the patient into digital data.

14. The defibrillator of claim 13 wherein the controller is operable to encode the ECG of the patient concurrently with obtaining the medical information for the patient.

15. The defibrillator of claim 12 wherein the medical information further includes event summary information.

16. The defibrillator of claim 15 wherein the event summary information comprises at least one of elapsed time since monitoring of the patient began, time when the ECG waveform is provided to the second medical monitoring device, number of defibrillating shocks delivered to the patient, peak current of shock delivered to the patient, and patient impedance.

17. The defibrillator of claim 12 wherein the connector comprises snap connectors configured to be coupled to ECG lead cables.

18. The defibrillator of claim 17 wherein the snap connectors are located on an exterior surface of a housing for the defibrillator.

19. The defibrillator of claim 17 wherein the electrodes are connected through an electrode terminal and the snap connectors are located on an adapter configured to be coupled to the defibrillator through the electrode terminal, the controller further operable to switch the electrode terminal between use with the electrodes for obtaining medical information and use with the adapter for providing the ECG waveform having the encoded medical information therethrough.