Esophageal electrocardiography electrode

• US 4,817,611 A
• Filed: 11/13/1986
• Issued: 04/04/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Arzco Medical Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Arzco Medical Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Davis, D. J. Jr., Lowther, Mark P., Arzbaecher, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Application Number:
  US06/930,748
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 128/631, 128/642, 128/784-786, 128/788
• US Class Current: 600/380
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/285 Endotracheal, oesophageal or gastric probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6852 Catheters

Abstract

An integrally formed, molded, esophageal electrode provides for positive locking of spaced-apart conducting members to the body section. The electrode includes a molded body section with a centrally formed shoulder. The shoulder provides for spacing between the two cylindrical conducting members carried on the body of the electrode. Molded hemispherical end members provide positive locking of the conductive members to the body portion.

Claims

1. An electrode suitable for swallowing by a patient comprising:

an elongated, molded, non-conducting body member, said body member being generally cylindrically-shaped, with a centrally located radially extending shoulder, said shoulder having an essentially cylindrical, exterior, peripheral surface;

first and second electrical conductors, each said conductor formed as a thin-walled, hollow cylinder said conductors carried by said body member spaced apart thereon so as to abut first and second ends of said shoulder;

said body member having first and second conductor locking end regions with each said end region having a generally curved exterior shape and with said locking end regions formed joined together as a single unitary member;

first and second elongated wire conducting members with each said wire conducting member electrically coupled to a respective conductor with a selected one of said wire conducting members extending, at least in part, substantially axially through said body member.

2. An electrode as in claim 1 with the first and second end regions each disposed adjacent an end of a respective one of the first and second electrical conductors at a respective position that is separated from said shoulder by the respective lengths of the first and second electrical conductors.

3. An electrode as in claim 2 with said electrical conductors formed of stainless steel.

4. An electrode as in claim 2 with said body member molded of polyethylene.

5. An electrode as in claim 4 with said wire conducting members terminating in an electrical socket.

6. An electrode as in claim 5 with said electrical sock formed with a molded body portion.

7. An electrode as in claim 1 with each said conducting member having a proximal end and a distal end with each said distal end having a selected bend with said shoulder having end sides with each said end side thereof disposed adjacent a said bend of a respective one of the first and the second electrical conductors.

8. An esophageal electrode comprising:

a molded, unitary, elongated body member with a central cylindrical region having a first diameter and spaced apart ends,

first and second cylindrical extension regions attached to respective of said spaced-apart ends, each said cylindrical extension region having a second diameter, less than said first diameter,

first and second hemispherical end regions attached to one another and positioned adjacent to respective of said extension regions with said end regions each having a diameter substantially equal to said first diameter;

a first and a second electrically conductive tubular member, each exhibiting an internal diameter substantially equal to the second diameter and exhibiting an external diameter substantially equal to the first diameter, each mounted upon a respective one of the two extension cylindrical regions and extending for the length thereof and held in its mounted position by a respective one of the end regions; and

first and second elongated means for electrical conduction electrically connected to respective ones of the first and the second electrically conductive tubular members.

9. An esophageal electrode comprising:

a molded, unitary, elongated body member with a central cylindrical region having a first diameter and spaced apart ends,

first and second cylindrical extension regions attached to respective of said spaced-apart ends, each said cylindrical extension region having a second diameter, less than said first diameter,

first and second hemispherical end regions positioned adjacent to respective of said extension regions with said end regions coupled to one another and with each said end region having a diameter substantially equal to said first diameter;

a first and a second electrically conductive tubular member, each exhibiting an internal diameter substantially equal to said second diameter and exhibiting an external diameter substantially equal to said first diameter, each mounted upon a respective one of said two extension cylindrical regions and locked thereon by a respective one of said hemispherical end regions; and

first and second elongated means for electrical conduction electrically connected to respective of the first and the second electrically conductive tubular members.

10. An esophageal electrode comprising:

a molded, unitary, elongated body member with a central cylindrical region having a first diameter and spaced apart ends,

first and second cylindrical extension regions attached to respective of said spaced-apart ends, each said cylindrical extension region having a second diameter, less than said first diameter,

first and second hemispherical end regions carried adjacent to respective of said extension regions with said end regions each having a diameter substantially equal to said first diameter;

a first and a second electrically conductive tubular member, each exhibiting an internal diameter substantially equal to said second diameter and exhibiting an external diameter substantially equal to said first diameter, each mounted upon a one of the two extension cylindrical regions and locked thereon by a respective one of said end regions; and

first and second elongated means for electrical conduction electrically connected to respective ones of said first and said second electrically conductive tubular members with at least one of said elongated means physically separated from the other said elongated means at the region of electrical connection by a substantial thickness of the body member.

11. An esophageal electrode comprising:

an elongated insulative body member having a generally cylindrical shape with an enlarged central region, two extension regions of lesser diameter substantially symmetrically coupled to the central region, and two enlarged end regions carried substantially symmetrically adjacent the extension regions and coupled to one another through the body member;

first and second electrical conductors, formed as hollow cylinders of an internal diameter complementary to the body member'"'"'s extension regions, positioned upon respective of the extension regions and held thereon between respective of the enlarged end regions and the enlarged central region; and

first and second elongated wires at least one of which has an end which is routed substantially axially and centrally into one extension region of the body member, the wires being coupled electrically to respective of said conductors.

12. An esophageal electrode comprising:

a molded, elongated body member with a central cylindrical region having a first diameter and spaced apart ends;

first and second cylindrical extension regions located adjacent to respective of said spaced-apart ends, each said cylindrical extension region having a second diameter, less than said first diameter;

first and second rounded end regions attached to one another and positioned adjacent to respective of said extension regions with said end regions each having a diameter substantially equal to said first diameter;

a first and a second electrically conductive tubular member, each having an internal diameter substantially equal to the second diameter and having an external diameter substantially equal to said first diameter, each said member mounted upon a respective one of said two cylindrical extension regions and extending for the length thereof and held in its mounted position by a respective one of said end regions; and

first and second elongated means for electrical conduction electrically connected to respective ones of the first and the second electrically conductive tubular members.

13. An esophageal electrode comprising:

a molded, elongated body member with a central cylindrical region having a first diameter and spaced apart ends;

first and second cylindrical extension regions with each said region extending from said body member adjacent to respective of said spaced-apart ends, each said cylindrical extension region having a second diameter, less than said first diameter;

first and second rounded end regions positioned adjacent to respective of said extension regions with said end regions coupled to one another and with each said end region and having a diameter substantially equal to said first diameter;

a first and a second electrically conductive tubular member, each exhibiting an internal diameter substantially equal to said second diameter and exhibiting an external diameter substantially equal to said first diameter, each mounted upon a respective one of said two cylindrical extension regions and locked thereon by a respective one of said rounded end regions; and

first and second elongated means for electrical conduction electrically connected to respective of the first and the second electrically conductive tubular members.

14. An esophageal electrode comprising:

a molded, elongated body member with a central cylindrical region having a first diameter and spaced apart ends;

first and second cylindrical extension regions located adjacent to respective of said spaced-apart ends, each said clindrical extension region having a second diameter, less than said first diameter;

first and second rounded end regions carried adjacent to respective of said extension regions with said end regions each having a diameter substantially equal to said first diameter;

a first and a second electrically conductive tubular member, each exhibiting an internal diameter substantially equal to said second diameter and exhibiting an external diameter substantially equal to said first diameter, each mounted upon a one of the two cylindrical extension regions and locked thereon by a respective one of said end regions; and

first and second elongated means for electrical conduction electrically connected to respective ones of said first and said second electrically conductive tubular members with at least one of said elongated means physically separated from the other said elongated means at the region of electrical connection by a substantial thickness of the body member.

15. An esophageal electrode comprising:

an elongated insulative body member having an enlarged central region with a generally cylindrical shape with a first diameter and with two extension regions each of lesser diameter substantially symmetrically extending from said body member on a common center-line and two enlarged end regions carried substantially symmetrically adjacent said extension regions and coupled to one another

first and second electrical conductors, formed as hollow cylinders of an internal diameter corresponding to said diameter of said extension regions, said conductors positioned upon respective of said extension regions with each said conductor held thereon between respective of said enlarged end regions and said enlarged central region; and

first and second elongated wires at least one of which has an end which is routed substantially axially and centrally into one of said extension regions said wires being coupled electrically to respective of said conductors.

16. An esophageal electrode comprising:

a molded, unitary, elongated insulative body member with a cylindrical central region having a first diameter with an extension region of lesser diameter symmetrically extending on each side of said body member and terminating in a hemispherical end whose diameter substantially equals said first diameter of said body member;

first and second electrical conductors, formed as hollow cylinders of an internal diameter corresponding to said extension regions of said body member and an external diameter corresponding to said first diameter of said body member, said conductors securely positioned upon respective of said extension regions between said central region of said body member and a respective one of said hemispherical ends; and

first and second elongated wires, at least one of which has an end which is routed substantially axially and centrally within said body member with each said wire being coupled electrically to a respective one of said electrical conductors at a location adjacent a surface of said respective extension region.

17. An electrode as in claim 16 with said elongated wires routed, at least in part, substantially axially and internally of said body member, each said wire being coupled electrically to a respective region of one of said respective electrical conductors.

18. An electrode as in claim 16 with said elongated wires terminating in an electrical socket formed with a molded body portion.