DETECTING LOSS OF FULL SKIN CONTACT IN PATIENT ELECTRODES

• US 20160081574A1
• Filed: 12/02/2015
• Published: 03/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: West Affum Holdings Corp
• Original Assignee: West Affum Holdings Corp
• Inventors: Krusor, Blaine, Banville, Isabelle, Sullivan, Joseph Leo, Finch, David Peter, Piha, Daniel Ralph, Gustavson, Laura Marie, Cowan, Kenneth Frederick, Nova, Richard C., Chacon, Carmen Ann, Kavounas, Gregory T.
• Application Number:
  US14/956,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20160081574A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0276 Determining malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0531 Measuring skin impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/276 Protection against electrode failure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/28 for electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6843 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/046 Specially adapted for shock therapy, e.g. defibrillation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0492 Patch electrodes A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3904 External heart defibrillators [EHD]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3925 Monitoring; Protecting
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2001/083 Monitoring integrity of contacts, e.g. by impedance measurement

Abstract

Patient electrodes, patient monitors, defibrillators, wearable defibrillators, software and methods may warn when an electrode stops being fully attached to the patient'"'"'s skin. A patient electrode includes a pad for attaching to the skin of a patient, a lead coupled to the pad, and a contact detector that can change state, when the pad does not contact fully the skin of the patient. When the detector changes state, an output device may emit an alert, for notifying a rescuer or even the patient.

Claims

1-66. -66. (canceled)

67. A host device adapted to be used with an electrode having an electrode lead, a pad adapted to contact the skin of a patient and a contact detector, the host device comprising:

a support structure adapted to be worn by the patient, the electrode lead being coupled to the support structure;

a defibrillator coupled to the support structure;

an electrode port adapted to receive the electrode lead;

a module adapted to measure an ECG of the patient through the electrode port when the electrode lead is received in the electrode port;

a sense port adapted to receive a sense signal from the contact detector; and

an output device adapted to emit an alert if it is determined from the sense signal that the pad does not contact fully the skin of the patient.

68. The host device of claim 67, in which

the sense signal is wireless.

69. The host device of claim 68, in which

the electrode further has an RFID tag,

the sense port is an RFID reader adapted to interrogate the RFID tag, and

the sense signal is received as backscatter from the interrogated RFID tag.

70. The host device of claim 67, further comprising:

a processor adapted to determine from the sense signal whether the electrode does not contact fully the skin of the patient.

71. The host device of claim 67, further comprising:

a memory, and

in which an entry is made in the memory if it is determined that the electrode does not contact fully the skin of the patient.

72. The host device of claim 67, further comprising:

a module adapted to measure a physiological parameter of the patient other than the patient'"'"'s ECG.

73. The host device of claim 67, in which

the defibrillator is adapted to transmit an electrical defibrillation pulse through the electrode port.

74. The host device of claim 67, in which

the alert is emitted electronically.

75. The host device of claim 67, in which

the output device is coupled to the support structure.

76. The host device of claim 67, in which

the output device is coupled to the support structure such that the output device is positioned on a shoulder of the patient when the support structure is worn by the patient.

77. The host device of claim 67, in which

the output device is coupled to the support structure such that the output device is positioned near a shoulder of the patient when the support structure is worn by the patient.

78. A host device adapted to be used with an electrode having an electrode lead, a pad adapted to contact the skin of a patient, a contact detector and an RFID tag, the host device comprising:

an electrode port adapted to receive the electrode lead;

a module adapted to measure an ECG of the patient through the electrode port;

an RFID reader adapted to interrogate the RFID tag, and to receive a sense signal from the contact detector as backscatter from the interrogated RFID tag; and

an output device adapted to emit an alert if it is determined from the sense signal that the pad does not contact fully the skin of the patient.

79. The host device of claim 78, further comprising:

a processor adapted to determine from the sense signal whether the electrode does not contact fully the skin of the patient.

80. The host device of claim 78, further comprising:

a memory, and

in which an entry is made in the memory if it is determined that the electrode does not contact fully the skin of the patient.

81. The host device of claim 78, further comprising:

a module adapted to measure a physiological parameter of the patient other than the patient'"'"'s ECG.

82. The host device of claim 78, further comprising:

a support structure adapted to be worn by the patient, the electrode lead being coupled to the support structure.

83. The host device of claim 78, further comprising:

a defibrillator.

84. The host device of claim 78, further comprising:

a defibrillator adapted to transmit an electrical defibrillation pulse through the electrode port.

85. The host device of claim 78, in which

the alert is emitted electronically.

86. A host device adapted to be used with an electrode having an electrode lead, a pad adapted to contact the skin of a patient and a contact detector, the host device comprising:

an electrode port adapted to receive the electrode lead;

a module adapted to measure an ECG of the patient through the electrode port;

a sense port adapted to receive a sense signal from the contact detector; and

an output device adapted to emit an alert if it is determined from the sense signal that the pad does not contact fully the skin of the patient.

87. The host device of claim 86, in which

the sense signal is wireless.

88. The host device of claim 86, further comprising:

a processor adapted to determine from the sense signal whether the electrode does not contact fully the skin of the patient.

89. The host device of claim 86, further comprising:

a memory, and

in which an entry is made in the memory if it is determined that the electrode does not contact fully the skin of the patient.

90. The host device of claim 86, further comprising:

a module adapted to measure a physiological parameter of the patient other than the patient'"'"'s ECG.

91. The host device of claim 86, further comprising:

a support structure adapted to be worn by the patient, the electrode lead being coupled to the support structure.

92. The host device of claim 86, further comprising:

a defibrillator.

93. The host device of claim 86, further comprising:

a defibrillator adapted to transmit an electrical defibrillation pulse through the electrode port.

94. The host device of claim 86, in which

the alert is emitted electronically.