Defibrillation electrode assembly including CPR pad

• US 6,782,293 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2001
• Issued: 08/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zoll Medical Corporation (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Zoll Medical Corporation (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Inventors: Faller, Frederick W., Hamilton, Ward, Dupelle, Michael R., Jones, Deborah T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schaetzle, Kennedy
• Assistant Examiner(s): DROESCH, KRISTEN L
• Application Number:
  US09/952,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20030055477A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 601/41, 601/44, 600/372, 600/386, 600/388-390, 600/393, 607/4-5, 607/115, 607/142, 607/148-150, 607/152-153
• US Class Current: 607/142
• 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

Electrode assemblies are provided, in which a pair of electrodes is joined by a central member. In some implementations, the electrode assemblies are foldable, and are configured to facilitate correct placement on a patient'"'"'s chest. Some electrode assemblies include a separable electrode, allowing the electrode assembly to be fitted to patients having particularly large chests.

Claims

1. An electrode assembly for use with a defibrillator, comprising

a pair of electrodes configured to be attached to a patient'"'"'s chest, to acquire data indicative of the patient'"'"'s heart rhythm and to deliver a defibrillating shock if appropriate;

and a central member joining the electrodes and configured to be attached to the patient'"'"'s chest;

the electrodes being folded about the central member during storage prior to attachment to the patient'"'"'s chest.

2. The electrode assembly of claim 1 wherein the electrodes are folded along defined hinge regions.

3. The electrode assembly of claim 1 wherein the electrodes are positioned about the central member to facilitate their placement on the chest in an optimal position for the delivery of defibrillation therapy.

4. The electrode assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of the electrodes is joined to the central member by a web of flexible material.

5. The electrode assembly of claim 4 wherein the web is at least 1 cm wide.

6. The electrode assembly of claim 1 further comprising a CPR pad, mounted on the central member.

7. The electrode assembly of claim 6 wherein the CPR pad is configured to be pressed upon by a caregiver during the delivery of CPR chest compressions.

8. The electrode assembly of claim 6 wherein the CPR pad is located on the assembly so that when it is placed on the patient'"'"'s lower sternum the defibrillation electrodes are properly placed for the delivery of defibrillation therapy.

9. The electrode assembly of claim 6 wherein the CPR pad includes a sensor constructed to acquire data indicative of the depth and rate of CPR compressions.

10. The electrode assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of said electrodes is configured to be optionally separable from the central member.

11. The electrode assembly of claim 10 wherein said separable electrode is separably joined to the central member by a separable flexible fastener.

12. The electrode assembly of claim 11 wherein said separable flexible fastener comprises a separable hinge.

13. The electrode assembly of claim 11 wherein said separable flexible fastener comprises a hook and loop fastener tape.

14. The electrode assembly of claim 1 wherein the central member includes two portions that are foldable upon each other.

15. The electrode assembly of claim 1 wherein the electrodes have a combined active area of at least 150 cm2.

16. The electrode assembly of claim 1 wherein each electrode has an active area of at least 50 cm2.

17. The electrode assembly of claim 16 wherein each electrode has an active area of at least 75 cm2.

18. The electrode assembly of claim 1 further comprising indicia on an exposed surface of the electrode assembly, the indicia including a first portion and a second portion, the indicia being positioned so that alignment of the first portion with a patient'"'"'s nipples and alignment of the second portion with the patient'"'"'s sternum will correctly position the electrodes on the patient'"'"'s chest for effective defibrillation treatment.

19. The electrode assembly of claim 18 wherein the indicia are disposed on a CPR pad mounted on the central member.

20. The electrode assembly of claim 18 wherein the indicia are disposed on a surface of the central member.

21. The electrode assembly of claim 1 wherein the electrodes extend substantially transversely from opposite sides of the central member in a spaced relationship.

26. The electrode assembly of claim 11 or 22 wherein the separable flexible fastener includes a tear-away strip.

22. An electrode assembly for use with a defibrillator, comprising

an apex electrode and a sternum electrode, the electrodes being configured to be attached to a patient'"'"'s chest, to acquire data indicative of the patient'"'"'s heart rhythm and to deliver a defibrillating shock if appropriate;

and

a central member joining the electrodes;

wherein one of the electrodes is configured to be optionally separated mechanically from the central member but to remain electrically connected to the defibrillator, and

wherein the separably joined electrode is separably joined to the central member by a separable flexible fastener.

23. The electrode assembly of claim 22 wherein said separable flexible fastener comprises a separable hinge.

24. The electrode assembly of claim 23 wherein said separable hinge includes a locking pin constructed to be removed by a caregiver to separate the hinge.

25. The electrode assembly of claim 22, said separable flexible fastener comprises a hook and loop fastener tape.

27. An electrode assembly for use with a defibrillator, comprising

an apex electrode and a sternum electrode, the electrodes being configured to be attached to a patient'"'"'s chest, to acquire data indicative of the patient'"'"'s heart rhythm and to deliver a defibrillating shock if appropriate;

and

a central member joining the electrodes;

wherein one of the electrodes is configured to be optionally separated mechanically from the central member but to remain electrically connected to the defibrillator, and

wherein the separably joined electrode, after separation from the central member, is joined to the central member only by an electrical connector.

28. An electrode assembly for use with a defibrillator, comprising

a pair of electrodes configured to be attached to a patient'"'"'s chest, to acquire data indicative of the patient'"'"'s heart rhythm and to deliver a defibrillating shock if appropriate;

a central member joining the electrodes; and

a CPR pad positioned on the central member;

the electrodes being folded about the central member in a manner so that the CPR pad is on top and can be grasped by a caregiver to unfold the electrode assembly.

29. The electrode assembly of claim 28 wherein the electrodes are folded in a manner so that when the CPR pad is grasped by a user the electrodes fall open in the general position in which the electrodes should be applied to the patient.

30. An electrode assembly for use with a defibrillator, comprising

an apex electrode and a sternum electrode, the electrodes being configured to be attached to a patient'"'"'s chest, to acquire data indicative of the patient'"'"'s heart rhythm and to deliver a defibrillating shock if appropriate;

and

a central member joining the electrodes and being configured so that when the assembly is applied to the chest of the patient the central member extends generally along the centerline of the chest and has two longitudinal ends, one closer to the head and the other closer to the feet of the patient;

wherein the electrodes extend generally transversely from opposite sides of the central member in a spaced relationship, with one electrode extending toward the right side of the patient and from the longitudinal end of the central member closest to the head, and the other electrode extending toward the left side of the patient and from the longitudinal end of the central member closest to the feet.

31. The electrode assembly of claim 30 wherein the electrodes are positioned about the central member to facilitate their placement on the chest in an optimal position for the delivery of defibrillation therapy.

32. The electrode assembly of claim 30 wherein the electrodes are positioned about the central member to minimize contact of the electrodes with breast tissue of the patient.

33. The electrode assembly of claim 32 wherein the apex electrode is joined to the central member by a hinge, allowing the apex electrode to be maneuvered around breast tissue.

34. The electrode assembly of claim 30 wherein the central member is elongated.

35. The electrode assembly of claim 30 the electrodes have a combined active area of at least 150 cm2.

36. The electrode assembly of claim 30 wherein each electrode has an active area of at least 50 cm2.

37. The electrode assembly of claim 36 wherein each electrode has an active area of at least 75 cm2.

38. The electrode assembly of claim 30 wherein the electrodes and central member define a “

stairstep-like”

shape.

39. The electrode assembly of claim 34 wherein the central member is dimensioned to fit in the valley between the breasts of the patient.

40. The electrode assembly of claim 30 further comprising a CPR pad, mounted on the central member.

41. The electrode assembly of claim 30 wherein the electrodes are folded about member.

42. The electrode assembly of claim 41 wherein the central member includes two portions that are foldable upon each other.

43. The electrode assembly of claim 30 the electrodes extend substantially perpendicular to the central member.