Thoracic impedance monitor and electrode array and method of use
First Claim
1. A method of using an electrode array and operably coupled impedance measuring device that comprises an electrode array for use with a physiological electronic monitor used to monitor electrical characteristics of a user'"'"'s body, comprising a single linear electrode array lead including at least first, second, third, and fourth electrodes arranged sequentially and axially along the linear electrode array lead;
- a first electrode pad assembly including a body member mounting first and second conductive electrode pads, the first and second conductive electrode pads being spaced apart from one another the first pre-determined distance on the body member and being exposed on one side of the body member for contact with the user'"'"'s body, each electrode pad being coupled with a separate one of the first and second electrodes; and
a display configured to display user impedance determined by the device using the electrode array;
wherein the first and second electrodes are spaced apart a first pre-determined distance by a first portion of the electrode lead and the third and fourth electrodes are spaced apart a second pre-determined distance by a second portion of the electrode lead equal to the first pre-determined distance;
wherein the electrode lead is sufficiently flexible between the second and third electrodes to vary the distance between the second and third electrodes on the user'"'"'s body; and
wherein the second and third electrodes are spaced apart from one another by a third portion of the electrode lead a distance sufficient to at least mount one of the second and third electrodes to any adult user'"'"'s thorax at the junction of adult user'"'"'s clavicles and the other of the second and third electrodes to the user'"'"'s thorax just beyond the user'"'"'s xiphoid-sternal junction away from the clavicles;
the method comprising the steps of;
electrically connecting the second electrode to the user'"'"'s thorax at the junction of the clavicles, superior to the sternum, the third electrode to the user'"'"'s thorax proximal the xiphoid-sternal junction, the first electrode to the user'"'"'s body substantially along a centerline of the user'"'"'s sternum at the first pre-determined distance above the second electrode and the fourth electrode to the user'"'"'s thorax substantially along the centerline of the user'"'"'s sternum at the second predetermined distance below the third electrode;
applying a sinusoidal current from the impedance measuring device to the first and fourth electrodes and detecting a differential electrical potential between the second and third electrodes with the impedance measuring device;
determining thoracic impedance of the user from the detected differential electrical potential;
displaying a numerical value of determined thoracic impedance on the display of the impedance measuring device;
wherein the detecting step comprises the steps of differentially amplifying and low pass filtering voltages from the second and third electrodes; and
wherein the calculating step comprises the steps of sampling the differentially amplified and low pass filtered thoracic voltage from the second and third electrodes at predetermined intervals for a number of times, adding the sampled thoracic voltages to generate a sum, dividing the sum by the number of times to provide an averaged thoracic voltage value;
scaling the averaged thoracic voltage value and combining the scaled averaged thoracic voltage value with a predetermined offset value to generate a numerical value of the differential thoracic impedance.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A portable thoracic impedance monitor for monitoring thoracic fluid levels, an electrode array assembly having a single linear electrode array lead with first, second, third, and fourth electrodes arranged sequentially and axially along the linear electrode array lead, and a method of use of the thoracic impedance monitor. A measurement of the user'"'"'s thoracic impedance is obtained by connecting the second electrode to the user'"'"'s body at the junction of the clavicles, superior to the sternum, the third electrode to the user'"'"'s body at the xiphoid-sternal junction, and the first and fourth electrodes to the user'"'"'s body substantially along a centerline of the user'"'"'s sternum respectively at a first pre-determined distance above the second electrode and a second predetermined distance below the third electrode, followed by initiating operation of the monitor.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of using an electrode array and operably coupled impedance measuring device that comprises an electrode array for use with a physiological electronic monitor used to monitor electrical characteristics of a user'"'"'s body, comprising a single linear electrode array lead including at least first, second, third, and fourth electrodes arranged sequentially and axially along the linear electrode array lead;
- a first electrode pad assembly including a body member mounting first and second conductive electrode pads, the first and second conductive electrode pads being spaced apart from one another the first pre-determined distance on the body member and being exposed on one side of the body member for contact with the user'"'"'s body, each electrode pad being coupled with a separate one of the first and second electrodes; and
a display configured to display user impedance determined by the device using the electrode array;
wherein the first and second electrodes are spaced apart a first pre-determined distance by a first portion of the electrode lead and the third and fourth electrodes are spaced apart a second pre-determined distance by a second portion of the electrode lead equal to the first pre-determined distance;
wherein the electrode lead is sufficiently flexible between the second and third electrodes to vary the distance between the second and third electrodes on the user'"'"'s body; and
wherein the second and third electrodes are spaced apart from one another by a third portion of the electrode lead a distance sufficient to at least mount one of the second and third electrodes to any adult user'"'"'s thorax at the junction of adult user'"'"'s clavicles and the other of the second and third electrodes to the user'"'"'s thorax just beyond the user'"'"'s xiphoid-sternal junction away from the clavicles;
the method comprising the steps of;electrically connecting the second electrode to the user'"'"'s thorax at the junction of the clavicles, superior to the sternum, the third electrode to the user'"'"'s thorax proximal the xiphoid-sternal junction, the first electrode to the user'"'"'s body substantially along a centerline of the user'"'"'s sternum at the first pre-determined distance above the second electrode and the fourth electrode to the user'"'"'s thorax substantially along the centerline of the user'"'"'s sternum at the second predetermined distance below the third electrode; applying a sinusoidal current from the impedance measuring device to the first and fourth electrodes and detecting a differential electrical potential between the second and third electrodes with the impedance measuring device; determining thoracic impedance of the user from the detected differential electrical potential; displaying a numerical value of determined thoracic impedance on the display of the impedance measuring device; wherein the detecting step comprises the steps of differentially amplifying and low pass filtering voltages from the second and third electrodes; and wherein the calculating step comprises the steps of sampling the differentially amplified and low pass filtered thoracic voltage from the second and third electrodes at predetermined intervals for a number of times, adding the sampled thoracic voltages to generate a sum, dividing the sum by the number of times to provide an averaged thoracic voltage value;
scaling the averaged thoracic voltage value and combining the scaled averaged thoracic voltage value with a predetermined offset value to generate a numerical value of the differential thoracic impedance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- a first electrode pad assembly including a body member mounting first and second conductive electrode pads, the first and second conductive electrode pads being spaced apart from one another the first pre-determined distance on the body member and being exposed on one side of the body member for contact with the user'"'"'s body, each electrode pad being coupled with a separate one of the first and second electrodes; and
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10. A thoracic impedance monitor for determining thoracic impedance of a user, comprising:
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an electrode array including a single linear electrode array lead and at least first, second, third, and fourth electrodes arranged axially along the single electrode array lead and connectable to the user at corresponding first, second, third, and fourth separate locations on a body of the user; and a portable base unit operatively connected to the electrode array lead, including; a power supply; circuitry operatively connected to one of the first and second electrodes and to one of the third and fourth electrodes for generating an electrical signal for delivery to the one of the first and second electrodes and to the one of the third and fourth electrodes; circuitry operatively connected to the other of the first and second electrodes and the other of the third and fourth electrodes for detecting differential electrical potential; circuitry for calculating a numerical value of thoracic impedance of the user based upon the differential electrical potential; and a display for displaying the numerical value of thoracic impedance of the user; wherein the second electrode is operatively placed on the user'"'"'s body at the junction of the user'"'"'s clavicles, superior to the sternum and the third electrode is placed on the user'"'"'s body at the xiphoid-sternal junction; wherein the first electrode is placed higher on the user'"'"'s body substantially along a centerline of the user'"'"'s sternum at a first predetermined distance from the second electrode and the fourth electrode is placed lower on the user'"'"'s body substantially along the centerline of the user'"'"'s sternum at a second pre-determined distance from the third electrode; wherein the first and second electrodes are spaced on the electrode array lead at the first pre-determined distance and the third and fourth electrodes are spaced on the electrode array lead at the second pre-determined distance, such that with the electrode array lead fully extended, the first and second electrodes are spaced apart the first pre-determined distance and the third and fourth electrodes are spaced apart the second pre-determined distance; wherein the first and second pre-determined distances are each about five cm (about two inches); and wherein the circuitry for calculating thoracic impedance is configured to sample thoracic voltage through the second and third electrodes at predetermined intervals for a number of times, add the sampled thoracic voltages to generate a sum, divide the sum by the number of times to provide an averaged thoracic voltage value;
scale the averaged thoracic voltage value and combine the scaled averaged thoracic voltage value with a predetermined offset value to generate a numerical value of the differential thoracic impedance displayed on the display. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification