Cable Monitoring Apparatus

• US 20120130239A1
• Filed: 01/05/2012
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kpr U.S., LLC (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Meyer, Peter F., Zaiken, Eliot
• Granted Patent: US 8,821,405 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/437
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0276 Determining malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/222 Electrical cables or leads therefor, e.g. coaxial cables or ribbon cables
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/227 Sensors with electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0011 Foetal or obstetric data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4343 Pregnancy and labour monitoring, e.g. for labour onset detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4362 Assessing foetal parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/58 Testing of lines, cables or conductors testing of electric windings G01R31/72
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/66 Structural association with built-in electrical component coupling devices having concentrically or coaxially-arranged contacts H01R24/38
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/20 for testing or measuring purposes

Abstract

A cable monitoring apparatus includes a housing having an input interface adapted to electrically connect to one end of a medical cable and an output interface adapted to electrically connect to an electrical system. Signal processing circuitry is incorporated within the housing for receiving a medical signal from the medical cable via the input interface and for selectively passing the medical signal to the electrical system via the output interface when in a first mode of operation, and has application software for selectively testing functionality of the medical cable when in a second mode of operation. The medical signal may include at least one monitoring signal selected from a group consisting of fetal and maternal medical signals.

Claims

1-32. -32. (canceled)

33. A method for monitoring a parameter associated with labor, comprising the steps of:

electrically connecting a medical cable monitor with a monitoring apparatus;

electrically connecting one end of a medical cable to an input interface of the medical cable monitor and the other end of the medical cable to a cable diagnostic interface of the medical cable monitor;

activating the medical cable monitor in one mode of operation whereby signal processing circuitry of the medical cable monitor tests the functionality of the medical cable connected between the input interface and the cable diagnostic interface;

electrically connecting the other end of the medical cable to a sensor positioned adjacent a subject;

sensing a parameter with the sensor and sending a monitoring signal associated with the parameter to the input interface of the cable monitor; and

activating the cable monitor in another mode of operation whereby the signal processing circuitry passes the monitoring signal to the monitoring apparatus.

34. The method according to claim 33 wherein the step of sensing includes sensing one of a fetal or maternal parameter.

35. The method according to claim 34 wherein the step of electrically connecting the other end of the medical cable to a sensor includes connecting the medical cable to a sensor selected from the group consisting of at least one medical electrode, a medical electrode sensor array, an abdominal strain gauge, a tocodynamometer, an intrauterine pressure catheter, and an ultrasound transducer.

36. The method according to claim 34 wherein the step of electrically connecting the other end of the medical cable to a sensor includes connecting the medical cable to a vacuum pressure sensor.

37. The method according to claim 34 wherein the step of electrically connecting the other end of the medical cable to a sensor includes connecting the medical cable to a pulse oximeter.

38. The method according to claim 34 wherein the step of electrically connecting the other end of the medical cable to a sensor includes connecting the medical cable to a pH sensing device.

39. The method according to claim 34 wherein the step of electrically connecting the other end of the medical cable to a sensor includes connecting the medical cable to a sensor selected from a group consisting of a cervical dilation sensor, a cervical effacement sensor and a cervical length sensor.

40. The method according to claim 34 wherein the step of electrically connecting the other end of the medical cable to a sensor includes connecting the medical cable to a fetal station sensor.

41. The method according to claim 34 further including the steps of:

electrically connecting one end of a second medical cable to a second input interface of the medical cable monitor and the other end of the second medical cable to a second cable diagnostic interface of the medical cable monitor;

activating the medical cable monitor in one mode of operation whereby signal processing circuitry of the medical cable monitor tests the functionality of the second medical cable connected between the second input interface and the second cable diagnostic interface.

42. The method according to claim 34 including the step of performing a zero/rezero function to short circuit the monitoring signal and create a zero voltage signal.