Multi-pad, multi-function electrode

• US 5,080,099 A
• Filed: 08/29/1990
• Issued: 01/14/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Conmed Corporation (Jefferies Financial Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cardiotronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Butler, L. Allan, Way, Tim J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Application Number:
  US07/575,133
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 128/639-641, 128/644, 128/783, 128/798, 128/799, 128/802, 128/803, 128/419 D
• US Class Current: 600/391
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/257 using adhesive means, e.g. adhesive pads or tapes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/268 containing conductive polymers, e.g. PEDOT:PSS polymers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/28 for electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0408 Use-related aspects
• 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

Abstract

An electrode having multiple conductive polymer pads for performing multiple, electrical physiological functions from a single set of electrodes with respect to a patient at or about the same time, such as defibrillating, pacing, and monitoring of that patient'"'"'s heart, is described. The electrode is advantageously integrated into a cardiac system having stimulating means coupled to the electrode for delivering electrical impulses to the electrode to be used to stimulate the patient'"'"'s heart, and monitoring means also coupled to the electrode for receiving and displaying electrical impulses produced by the patient'"'"'s heart. The conductive polymers which comprise the pads are optionally inherently adhesive, so that the pads will adhere to a patient'"'"'s body over their entire surface area. Moreover, they are rubber-based, will not smear or leave a residue on a patient'"'"'s skin, have lower impedance, and depolarize faster compared with present saline-based gels, further contributing to the multi-functional capability. Also, the other impedance enables the voltage generator in the cardiac system of which the electrode is part to deliver a particular current pulse with less voltage, enabling the voltage generator, and the cardiac system in general, to be smaller, more compact, and less costly.

Claims

1. A non-invasive electrode comprising:

at least two spaced conductive polymer pads, each pad having a surface arranged to be placed in contact with a patient, for stimulating and monitoring the patient'"'"'s heart at or about the same time wherein at least a first one of said conductive polymer pads has an area determined effective for cardiac stimulation, and is adapted for receiving first electrical impulses from stimulating means, and delivering said first electrical impulses to the patient'"'"'s heart, while at least one other of said conductive polymer pads is adapted for receiving second electrical impulses from that patient'"'"'s heart and delivering said second impulses to monitoring means at or about the same time said first pad is delivering said first electrical impulses, the other pad being spaced from said first pad by a distance determined effective to substantially isolate the first electrical impulses from the second electrical impulses;

substantially non-conducting backing means for integrally connecting said first and other pads;

means for electrically coupling said first pad to said stimulating means; and

means for electrically coupling said other pad to said monitoring means.

2. The electrode of claim 1 wherein said means for electrically coupling said first pad t said stimulating means comprises means for electrically coupling said first pad to defibrillating means.

3. The electrode of claim 1 wherein said means for electrically coupling said first pad to said stimulating means comprises means for electrically coupling said first pad to pacing means.

4. A non-invasive electrode comprising:

at least two spaced conductive polymer pads, each pad having a surface arranged to be placed in contact with the patient, for pacing and monitoring the patient'"'"'s hear at or about the same time, wherein at least a first one of said conductive polymer pads has an area determined effective for cardiac pacing, and is adapted for receiving first electrical impulses from pacing means and delivering said first impulses to the patient'"'"'s heart, while at leas one other of said conductive polymer pads is adapted for receiving second electrical impulses from that patient'"'"'s heart and delivering said electrical impulses impulses to monitoring means at or about the same time said first pad is delivering said first electrical impulses, the other pad being spaced from said first pad by a distance determined effective to substantially isolate the first electrical impulses from the second electrical impulses;

substantially non-conducting backing means for integrally connecting said first and other pads;

means for electrically coupling said first pad to said pacing means; and

means for electrically coupling said other pad to said monitoring means.

5. A cardiac system comprising:

at least a pair of electrodes wherein at least a first one of said electrodes is non-invasive, and has at least two spaced conductive polymer pads integrally connected by means of a substantially non-conducting backing wherein at least a first one of said pads has an area determined effective for cardiac stimulation, and is adapted to receive first electrical impulses from stimulating means and deliver said first electrical impulses to a patient'"'"'s heart, while at least one other of said pads is adapted to receive second electrical impulses at or about the same time from that patient'"'"'s heart and to deliver said second electrical impulses to monitoring means;

stimulating means for producing said first electrical impulses; and

monitoring means for receiving said second electrical impulses.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said stimulating means is defibrallating means.

7. A cardiac system comprising:

at least a pair of electrodes wherein at least a first one of said electrodes is non-invasive, and has at least two spaced conductive polymer pads integrally connected by means of a substantially non-conducting backing wherein at least a first one of said pads has an area determined effective for cardiac pacing, and is adapted to receive first electrical impulses from pacing means and to deliver said first electrical impulses to a patient'"'"'s heart, while at least one other of said pads is adapted to receive second electrical impulses at or about the same time from that patient'"'"'s heart and to deliver said second electrical impulses to monitoring means;

pacing means for producing said first electrical impulses; and

monitoring means for receiving said second electrical impulses.

8. A cardiac system comprising:

at least a pair of electrodes wherein at least a first one of said electrodes is non-invasive, and has at least two spaced conductive polymer pads integrally connected by means of a substantially non-conducting backing wherein at least a first one of said pads is adapted to receive first electrical impulses and to deliver said first electrical impulses to a patient'"'"'s heart, while at least one other of said pads is adapted to receive second electrical impulses at or about the same time from that patient'"'"'s heart and to deliver said second electrical impulses to monitoring means

means for generating defibrillating electrical impulses;

means for generating pacing electrical impulses;

coupling means for delivering said first electrical impulses to said first pad, said first electrical impulses comprising a selected one of said defibrillating electrical impulses and said pacing electrical impulses; and

monitoring means for receiving said second electrical impulses.

9. A process for stimulating and monitoring a patient'"'"'s heart at or about the same time utilizing a non-invasive electrode having at least two spaced conductive polymer pads, wherein at least a first one of said pads has an area determined effective for cardiac stimulation, comprising the steps of:

delivering stimulating electrical impulses to said patient'"'"'s heart through said first pad; and

receiving electrical impulses at or about the same time from said patient'"'"'s heart through at least one other of said pads.

10. The process of claim 9 wherein said delivering step comprises delivering defibrillating electrical impulses.

11. The process of claim 9 wherein said delivering step comprises delivering pacing electrical impulses.

12. The process of claim 9 further comprising the step of displaying a representation of said received electrical impulses.