Public access defibrillator

• US 6,993,386 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2003
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zoll Medical Corporation (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Science Operating Company (Cardica Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mathur, Prabodh, Lin, Dongping, Ybarra, Raul
• Primary Examiner(s): LAYNO, CARL HERNANDZ
• Application Number:
  US10/688,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20040082972A1
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 607 4- 8
• US Class Current: 607/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3904 External heart defibrillators [EHD]

Abstract

A publically available external defibrillator includes a detector used to detect a life threatening condition of a patient, a controller operating the defibrillator automatically and a therapy delivery circuit that delivers appropriate therapy. The defibrillator is attached to a patient by any attendant or bystander and once it is attached, the defibrillator is adapted to monitor the patient and when a life threatening condition is detected, to apply therapy automatically, i.e., without any involvement by the patient or the attendant.

Claims

1. A publicly accessible external defibrillator for automatically generating a generic cardiac therapy for a person suffering from a life threatening cardiac condition, said external defibrillator comprising;

a first electrode adapted to be attached to said patient;

a detector circuit coupled to said first electrode and adapted to detect a life threatening cardiac condition based on a physiological signal sensed through said electrode, said detector circuit detecting said cardiac condition using non-patient specific criteria;

a microprocessor-based controller coupled to said detector circuit and adapted to generate a command in the presence of said life threatening condition;

a pulse generator adapted to generate therapeutic pulses selected to a pulse generator adapted to generate therapeutic pulses selected to terminate said life threatening cardiac condition in response to said command, said pulse generator operating in at least one of an automated mode in which therapy is applied automatically to the patient and an advisory mode in which an indication is generated to indicate that therapy is available and can be applied;

a self-test and diagnostic circuit adapted to run tests on said external defibrillator to determine if said external defibrillator is operational; and

a communications module, said controller being adapted to send a message automatically to a remote location through said communication module when said life threatening condition is detected, said message indicating one of the occurrence and detection of said condition and the patient'"'"'s location;

wherein said detector circuit is adapted to detect intrinsic cardiac signals and said controller is adapted to automatically generate said command in synchronism with said intrinsic cardiac signals.

2. The external defibrillator of claim 1 further comprising a second electrode attached to said patient and being coupled to said pulse generator to deliver said therapeutic pulses to the patient'"'"'s heart.

3. The external defibrillator of claim 1 wherein said first electrode is coupled to said pulse generator to deliver said therapeutic pulses to the patient'"'"'s heart.

4. The external defibrillator of claim 1 further comprising a sensor circuit coupled to said first electrode to sense intrinsic cardiac signals, said sensor circuit being adapted to transmit said intrinsic cardiac signals to said detector circuit.

5. The external defibrillator of claim 1 wherein said detector circuit is adapted to monitor the heart automatically and continuously after said electrode is attached to said patient.

6. The external defibrillator of claim 1 further comprising a data logging memory for logging information descriptive of said life threatening condition and the therapy delivered to revert said life threatening condition.

7. The external defibrillator of claim 1 further comprising a display, wherein said controller is adapted to provide on said display at least one of an instruction for the operation of the defibrillator and information indicative of a condition of the patient.

8. The external defibrillator of claim 1 wherein said controller defines a manual mode of operation, where the operator has the full control in delivering therapy.

9. A publicly accessible external defibrillator for automatically generating a generic cardiac therapy for a person suffering from a life threatening cardiac condition, said external defibrillator comprising;

a first electrode adapted to be attached to said patient;

a detector circuit coupled to said first electrode and adapted to detect a life threatening cardiac condition based on a physiological signal sensed through said electrode, said detector circuit detecting said cardiac condition using non-patient specific criteria;

a microprocessor-based controller coupled to said detector circuit and adapted to generate a command in the presence of said life threatening condition;

a pulse generator adapted to generate therapeutic pulses selected to a pulse generator adapted to generate therapeutic pulses selected to terminate said life threatening cardiac condition in response to said command, said pulse generator operating in at least one of an automated mode in which therapy is applied automatically to the patient and an advisory mode in which an indication is generated to indicate that therapy is available and can be applied;

a self-test and diagnostic circuit adapted to run tests on said external defibrillator to determine if said external defibrillator is operational; and

an inhibit switch which may be operated by the patient or an attendant, and wherein said controller is adapted to delay said command if said inhibit switch has been activated to protect said patient from undesirable therapeutic pulses;

wherein said detector circuit is adapted to detect intrinsic cardiac signals and said controller is adapted to automatically generate said command in synchronism with said intrinsic cardiac signals.

10. A publicly accessible external defibrillator for automatically generating a generic cardiac therapy for a person suffering from a life threatening cardiac condition, said external defibrillator comprising:

a first electrode adapted to be attached to said patient;

a detector circuit coupled to said first electrode and adapted to detect a life threatening cardiac condition based on a physiological signal sensed through said electrode, said detector circuit detecting said cardiac condition using non-patient specific criteria;

a microprocessor-based controller coupled to said detector circuit and adapted to generate a command in the presence of said life threatening condition;

a pulse generator adapted to generate therapeutic pulses selected to a pulse generator adapted to generate therapeutic pulses selected to terminate said life threatening cardiac condition in response to said command, said pulse generator operating in at least one of an automated mode in which therapy is applied automatically to the patient and an advisory mode in which an indication is generated to indicate that therapy is available and can be applied; and

an inhibit switch which may be operated by the patient or an attendant, and wherein said controller is adapted to delay said command if said inhibit switch has been activated to protect said patient from undesirable therapeutic pulses.

11. A publicly accessible external defibrillator for automatically generating a generic cardiac therapy for a person suffering from a life threatening cardiac condition, said external defibrillator comprising:

a first electrode adapted to be attached to said patient;

a detector circuit coupled to said first electrode and adapted to detect a life threatening cardiac condition based on a physiological signal sensed through said electrode, said detector circuit detecting said cardiac condition using non-patient specific criteria;

a microprocessor-based controller coupled to said detector circuit and adapted to generate a command in the presence of said life threatening condition; and

a pulse generator adapted to generate therapeutic pulses selected to a pulse generator adapted to generate therapeutic pulses selected to terminate said life threatening cardiac condition in response to said command, said pulse generator operating in at least one of an automated mode in which therapy is applied automatically to the patient and an advisory mode in which an indication is generated to indicate that therapy is available and can be applied; and

a communication module, said controller being adapted to send a message automatically to a remote location through said communication module when said life threatening condition is detected, said message indicating one of the occurrence and detection of said condition and the patient'"'"'s location.

12. A publicly accessible external defibrillator for automatically generating a generic cardiac therapy for a person suffering from a life threatening cardiac condition, said external defibrillator comprising:

a first electrode adapted to be attached to said patient;

a detector circuit coupled to said first electrode and adapted to detect a life threatening cardiac condition based on a physiological signal sensed through said electrode, said detector circuit detecting said cardiac condition using non-patient specific criteria;

a microprocessor-based controller coupled to said detector circuit and adapted to generate a command in the presence of said life threatening condition; and

a pulse generator adapted to generate therapeutic pulses selected to a pulse generator adapted to generate therapeutic pulses selected to terminate said life threatening cardiac condition in response to said command, said pulse generator operating in at least one of an automated mode in which therapy is applied automatically to the patient and an advisory mode in which an indication is generated to indicate that therapy is available and can be applied; and

a data logging memory for logging information descriptive of said life threatening condition and the therapy delivered to revert said life threatening condition.