Defibrillation system having segmented electrodes
First Claim
1. An electrode device for delivering electrical therapy to a patient'"'"'s heart comprising:
- a plurality of electrodes adapted for application to the thorax of a patient;
a skin interface; and
a nonconductive connecting element,wherein at least one electrode comprises at least two electrode segments spatially arranged on the element, each electrode segment having a perimeter and a conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin and for delivering electrical therapy to the patient, and wherein the electrode segments have a total combined area of the conductive surfaces for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin that is less than the area of the conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin that would be required for a conventional electrode with a continuous conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin, wherein the conventional electrode with a continuous conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin has an equivalent efficacy for delivering electrical therapy to that of the at least one electrode.
14 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Electrode devices optimized for long-term wear in conjunction with an external cardiac defibrillator are described. In preferred embodiments the electrode devices include electrodes that consist of multiple segments, thereby providing enhanced efficacy and impedance characteristics relative to conventionally shaped continuous electrodes. In certain embodiments the conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin of the electrodes is continuous but contains regions separated by open spaces, thereby similarly providing enhanced efficacy and impedance characteristics. The electrode devices are fabricated using materials selected to minimize skin irritation and discomfort.
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Citations
110 Claims
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1. An electrode device for delivering electrical therapy to a patient'"'"'s heart comprising:
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a plurality of electrodes adapted for application to the thorax of a patient; a skin interface; and a nonconductive connecting element, wherein at least one electrode comprises at least two electrode segments spatially arranged on the element, each electrode segment having a perimeter and a conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin and for delivering electrical therapy to the patient, and wherein the electrode segments have a total combined area of the conductive surfaces for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin that is less than the area of the conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin that would be required for a conventional electrode with a continuous conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin, wherein the conventional electrode with a continuous conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin has an equivalent efficacy for delivering electrical therapy to that of the at least one electrode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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5. An electrode device for delivering electrical therapy to a patient'"'"'s heart comprising:
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a plurality of electrodes adapted for application to the thorax of a patient; a skin interface; and a nonconductive connecting element, wherein at least one electrode comprises at least two electrode segments spatially arranged on the element, each of the at least two electrode segments having a perimeter and a conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin for delivering electrical therapy to the patient, so that when the at least one electrode comprising at least two spatially arranged electrode segments is applied to a patient and used to deliver a therapeutically effective level of electrical therapy, the trans-thoracic impedance is less than the trans-thoracic impedance resulting when a conventional electrode applied to the same patient is used to deliver a therapeutically effective level of electrical therapy, wherein the conventional electrode has a continuous conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin having an area equivalent to the total combined area of the conductive surfaces for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin of the at least two electrode segments. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. An electrode device for delivering electrical therapy to a patient'"'"'s heart comprising:
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a plurality of electrodes adapted for application to the thorax of a patient; a skin interface; and a nonconductive connecting element, wherein at least one electrode comprises at least two electrode segments spatially arranged on the element, each electrode segment having a perimeter and a conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin for delivering electrical therapy to the patient, so that the effective conductive area of the at least one electrode comprising at least two electrode segments is greater than the total combined area of the conductive surfaces for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin of the electrode segments. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 14)
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13. An electrode device for delivering electrical therapy to a patient'"'"'s heart comprising:
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a plurality of electrodes adapted for application to the thorax of a patient; a skin interface; and a nonconductive connecting element, wherein at least one electrode comprises at least two electrode segments spatially arranged on the element, each electrode segment having a perimeter and a conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin and for delivering electrical therapy to the patient, and wherein the electrode device comprises at least one material selected to enhance the long-term wearability of the electrode device.
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27. An electrode device for delivering electrical therapy to a patient'"'"'s heart comprising:
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a plurality of electrodes adapted for application to the thorax of a patient for delivering electrical therapy to the patient, each electrode having a conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin, the conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin having a shape and a perimeter; and a skin interface, wherein the shape of the conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin of at least one electrode is selected so that the area of the conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin of the at least one electrode is less than the area of the conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin that would be required for a conventional electrode with a continuous conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin, wherein the conventional electrode with a continuous conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin has an equivalent efficacy for delivering electrial therapy to that of the at least one electrode. - View Dependent Claims (28, 40, 42, 43)
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29. An electrode device for delivering electrical therapy to a patient'"'"'s heart comprising:
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a plurality of electrodes adapted for application to the thorax of a patient for delivering electrical therapy to the patient, each electrode having a conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin, the conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin having a shape and a perimeter; and a skin interface, wherein the shape of the conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin of at least one electrode is selected so that the effective conductive area of the at least one electrode is greater than the actual area of the conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin of the at least one electrode. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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31. An electrode device for delivering electrical therapy to a patient'"'"'s heart comprising:
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a plurality of electrodes adapted for application to the thorax of a patient for delivering electrical therapy to the patient'"'"'s heart, each electrode having a conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin, the conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin having a shape and a perimeter; and a skin interface, wherein the shape of the conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin of at least one electrode is selected so that when the at least one electrode is applied to a patient and used to deliver a therapeutically effective level of electrical therapy, the trans-thoracic impedance is less than the trans-thoracic impedance resulting when a conventional electrode applied to the same patient is used to deliver a therapeutically effective level of electrical therapy, wherein the conventional electrode has a continuous conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin having an area equivalent to the area of the conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin of the at least one electrode. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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33. An electrode device for delivering electrical therapy to a patient'"'"'s heart comprising:
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a plurality of electrodes adapted for application to the thorax of a patient for delivering electrical therapy to the patient, each electrode having a conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin, each conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin having a shape and a perimeter; and a skin interface, wherein the conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin of at least one electrode is continuous and comprises at least two regions separated from one another by free space, wherein the regions are selected so that the shortest path between the two regions traverses the free space, whereby the area of the conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin of the at least one electrode is less than the area of the conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin that would be required for a conventional electrode with a continuous conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin, wherein the conventional electrode with a continuous conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin has an equivalent efficacy for delivery of electrical therapy to that of the at least one electrode. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. An electrode device for delivering electrical therapy to a patient'"'"'s heart comprising:
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a plurality of electrodes adapted for application to the thorax of a patient for delivering electrical therapy to the patient, each electrode having a conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin, each conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin having a shape and a perimeter; and a skin interface, wherein the conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin of at least one electrode is continuous and comprises at least two regions separated from one another by free space, wherein the regions are selected so that the shortest path between the two regions traverses the free space, whereby the effective conductive area of the at least one electrode is greater than the actual area of the conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin of the at least one electrode. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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37. An electrode device for delivering electrical therapy to a patient'"'"'s heart comprising:
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a plurality of electrodes adapted for application to the thorax of a patient for delivering electrical therapy to the patient, each electrode having a conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin having a shape and a perimeter; and a skin interface, wherein the conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin of at least one electrode is continuous and comprises at least two regions separated from one another by free space, wherein the regions are selected so that the shortest path between the two regions traverses the free space, whereby when the at least one electrode is applied to a patient and used to deliver a therapeutically effective level of electrical therapy, the trans-thoracic impedance is less than the trans-thoracic impedance resulting when a conventional electrode applied to the same patient is used to deliver a therapeutically effective level of electrical therapy, wherein the conventional electrode has a continuous conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin having an area equivalent to the area of the conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin of the at least one electrode. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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39. An electrode device for delivering electrical therapy to a patient'"'"'s heart comprising:
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a plurality of electrodes adapted for application to the thorax of a patient; and a skin interface, wherein the conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin of at least one electrode is continuous and comprises at least two regions separated from one another by free space, wherein the regions are selected so that the shortest path between the two regions traverses the free space, and wherein the electrode device filter comprises at least one material selected to enhance the long-term wearability of the electrode device.
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41. An electrode device for delivering electrical therapy to a patient'"'"'s heart comprising:
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a plurality of electrodes adapted for application to the thorax of a patient, each electrode having a conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin; and a skin interface, wherein the perimeter of the conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin of at least one electrode comprises at least one concave region.
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44. An electrode device for application to the thorax for delivery of electrical therapy to a patient'"'"'s heart comprising:
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a plurality of electrodes adapted for application to the thorax of a patient for delivery of electrical therapy to the patient'"'"'s heart; and a skin interface, wherein the electrode device comprises at least one material selected to enhance the long-term wearability of the electrode device, wherein the at least one material is selected from the group consisting of;
high MVTR adhesives, temperature-sensitive adhesives, and adhesives having a low peel strength. - View Dependent Claims (45)
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64. An electrode comprising:
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a conductor/wire assembly; a skin interface optionally comprising a conductive hydrogel; a top cover assembly comprising an insulating layer and an adhesive layer, wherein the insulating layer optionally comprises a foam pad, and wherein the adhesive layer optionally comprises a wearable adhesive and a flexible backing layer, and wherein at least one of the optional wearable adhesive and the optional flexible backing layer has a MVTR of approximately 300-1500 g/m2 /day; an applicator assembly comprising a top layer and a bottom layer, each layer having an upper and lower surface, wherein the lower surface of the bottom layer contacts the top cover assembly, and wherein the top layer comprises an adhesive, and wherein the bottom layer of the applicator assembly optionally contains cutouts that limit the amount of contact between the adhesive of the top layer and the top cover assembly of the electrode so that the top layer of the applicator is removable from the applicator assembly without damaging the electrode; and a release liner assembly comprising a top layer and a bottom layer, each layer having an upper and lower surface, wherein the upper surface of the top layer contacts the skin interface.
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65. A method for employing a segmented electrode device in conjunction with a cardiac defibrillator comprising the steps of:
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providing a segmented electrode device comprising a plurality of electrodes, wherein each electrode comprises at least one electrode segment having a perimeter and a conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin for delivering electrical therapy to the patient'"'"'s heart, and wherein at least one electrode comprises at least two electrode segments; applying the at least one electrode comprising at least two electrode segments to the thorax of a patient in a spatial arrangement so that the effective conductive area of the at least two electrode segments is greater than the total combined area of the conductive surfaces for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin of the at least two electrode segments; and applying the remaining electrodes of the segmented electrode device to the thorax of the patient. - View Dependent Claims (66, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 99)
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67. A method for employing a segmented electrode device in conjunction with a cardiac defibrillator comprising the steps of:
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providing a segmented electrode device comprising a plurality of electrodes, wherein each electrode comprises at least one electrode segment having a perimeter and a conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin for delivering electrical therapy to the patient, and wherein at least one electrode comprises at least two electrode segments; applying the at least one electrode comprising at least two electrode segments to the thorax of a patient in a spatial arrangement so that when the at least one electrode comprising at least two spatially arranged electrode segments is used to deliver a therapeutically effective level of electrical therapy, the trans-thoracic impedance is less than the trans-thoracic impedance resulting when a conventional electrode applied to the same patient is used to deliver a therapeutically effective level of electrical therapy, wherein the conventional electrode has a continuous conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin having an area equivalent to the total combined area of the conductive surfaces for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin of the at least two electrode segments; and applying the remaining electrodes of the segmented electrode device to the thorax of the patient. - View Dependent Claims (68)
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69. A method for employing a segmented electrode device in conjunction with a cardiac defibrillator comprising the steps of:
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providing a segmented electrode device comprising a plurality of electrodes, wherein each electrode comprises at least one electrode segment having a perimeter and a conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin for delivering electrical therapy to the patient, and wherein at least one electrode comprises at least two electrode segments; applying the at least one electrode comprising at least two electrode segments to the thorax of a patient in a spatial arrangement so that the total combined area of the conductive surfaces for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin of the electrode segments is less than the area of the conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin that would be required for a conventional electrode with a continuous conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin, wherein the conventional electrode with a continuous conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin has an equivalent efficacy for delivering electrical therapy to that of the at least one electrode; and applying the remaining electrodes of the segmented electrode device to the thorax of the patient. - View Dependent Claims (70)
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89. A method for employing an electrode device in conjunction with a cardiac defibrillator comprising the steps of:
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providing an electrode device comprising a plurality of electrodes each having a conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin, the electrodes being adapted for delivering electrical therapy to the patient'"'"'s heart; applying at least two of the electrodes to the thorax of the patient; and replacing the at least two of the electrodes at intervals of greater than a day. - View Dependent Claims (90, 91, 92, 93)
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94. A method for employing an electrode device in conjunction with a cardiac defibrillator comprising the steps of:
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providing an electrode device comprising a plurality of electrodes each having a conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin, the electrodes being adapted for delivering electrical therapy to the patient'"'"'s heart; applying at least two of the electrodes to the thorax of the patient; and moving the at least two electrodes at intervals of greater than a day, wherein the moving step comprises positioning the at least two electrodes on the patient'"'"'s skin so that the new poistions of the at least two electrodes do not substantially overlap with the previous positions of the at least two electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (95)
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96. A method for employing an electrode device in conjunction with a cardiac defibrillator comprising the steps of:
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applying at least two electrodes to the thorax of a patient, each electrode having a conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin having a shape and a perimeter, wherein the shape of the conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin of at least one electrode is selected so that the area of the conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin of the at least one electrode is less than the area of the surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin that would be required for a conventional electrode with a continuous conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin, wherein the conventional electrode with a continuous conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin has an equivalent efficacy for delivering electrical therapy to that of the at least one electrode; and replacing at least one of the at least two electrodes at intervals of greater than a day. - View Dependent Claims (97, 98, 100, 101, 102)
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103. A method for employing an electrode device in conjunction with a cardiac defibrillator comprising the steps of:
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applying at least two electrodes to the thorax of a patient, each electrode having a conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin having a shape and a perimeter, wherein the shape of the conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin of at least one electrode is selected so that the area of the conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin of the at least one electrode is less than the area of the surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin that would be required for a conventional electrode with a continuous conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin, wherein the conventional electrode with a continuous conductive surface for contacting a patient'"'"'s skin has an equivalent efficacy for delivering electrical therapy to that of the at least one electrode; and moving at least one of the at least two electrodes at intervals of greater than a day, wherein the moving step comprises positioning the electrodes on the patient'"'"'s skin so that the new position of the at least one electrode do not substantially overlap with the previous positions of the at least one electrode. - View Dependent Claims (104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110)
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Specification