ECG leads system for newborn ECG screening

• US 8,369,924 B1
• Filed: 12/05/2007
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute At Harbor-Ucla Medical Center (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute At Harbor-Ucla Medical Center (University of California)
• Inventors: Chang, Ruey-Kang
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S
• Application Number:
  US11/951,083
• Time in Patent Office: 1,889 Days
• Field of Search: 600/382, 600/386, 600388-393
• US Class Current: 600/386
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/045 Newborns, e.g. premature baby monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip

Abstract

An apparatus including a chest strip including a plurality of precordial leads positioned to correspond with desired lead placement for an electrocardiogram; and a plurality of limb leads coupled to the chest strip. A system including a chest strip including a plurality of precordial leads positioned to correspond with desired lead placement for an electrocardiogram; a plurality of limb leads coupled to the chest strip; and a transmitter coupled to plurality of precordial leads and the plurality of limb leads to transmit signals generated by the plurality of precordial leads and the plurality of limb leads. A method including coupling a chest strip including a precordial leads to a newborn; and generating an electrocardiogram from the precordial leads.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a chest strip having dimensions suitable for a chest of a newborn, the chest strip comprising (1) an indicator for a placement of the chest strip on the chest of a newborn relative to a sternum of the newborn so that a V1 precordial lead will be in a 4th intercostal space on a right sternal border and V2 precordial lead will be in a 4th intercostal space on a left sternal border and (2) a plurality of precordial leads positioned to correspond with desired lead placement for an electrocardiogram; and

a plurality of retractable limb leads including a right arm limb lead and a left arm limb lead coupled to the chest strip and extendable therefrom from an unextended configuration, wherein such limb leads are biased to retract and return to the unextended configuration.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of wires ones of which are coupled to each limb lead and biased to retract to a coiled position as the unextended configuration.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of wires ones of which are coupled to each of the precordial leads and a transceiver coupled to the plurality of wires.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit wireless signals generated by the plurality of limb leads.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the chest strip is a first strip, the apparatus further comprising a second strip comprising a plurality of conductive adhesives positioned to align with the precordial leads of the chest strip.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of conductive adhesives comprises an electrically conductive button.

7. A system comprising:

a chest strip having dimensions suitable for a chest of a newborn, the chest strip comprising (1) an indicator for a placement of the chest strip on the chest of a newborn relative to a sternum of the newborn and (2) a plurality of precordial leads positioned to correspond with desired lead placement for an electrocardiogram;

a plurality of retractable limb leads including a right arm limb lead and a left arm limb lead coupled to the chest strip and extendable therefrom from an unextended configuration, wherein such limb leads are biased to retract and return to the unextended configuration; and

a transmitter coupled to plurality of precordial leads and the plurality of limb leads to transmit signals generated by the plurality of precordial leads and the plurality of limb leads.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a receiver, wherein the transmitter is configured to wirelessly transmit signals to the receiver.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising an adapter coupled to the receiver, the adapter configured to transmit the signals to an electrocardiogram machine.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the transmitter comprises a plurality of wires ones of which are coupled to respective ones of the plurality of precordial leads and the plurality of limb leads.

11. The system of claim 7, further comprising a sacrificial chest strip comprising a plurality of electrodes aligned with the precordial leads of the chest strip.

12. The system of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of sacrificial limb strips each comprising an electrode.

13. A method comprising:

coupling a chest strip having dimensions suitable for a chest of a newborn and comprising a plurality of precordial leads to a chest of a newborn using an indicator on the chest strip for a sternum position of the newborn so that a V1 precordial lead will be in a 4th intercostal space on a right sternal border and V2 precordial lead will be in a 4th intercostal space on a left sternal border;

extending and coupling self retractable limb leads from an unextended position to each of the limbs of the newborn;

generating an electrocardiogram sufficient for screening for long QT syndrome from the precordial leads and the limb leads; and

after generating an electrocardiogram, allowing the limb leads to return to the unextended position.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

prior to coupling the chest strip to a newborn, coupling a disposable electrode to the chest strip, the disposable electrode comprising a plurality of conductive adhesives oriented with respective ones of the plurality of precordial leads of the chest strip.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the disposable electrode has a similar shape to the shape of the chest strip.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

prior to coupling the limb leads to the newborn, coupling disposable electrodes to the newborn, and coupling limb leads comprises coupling respective ones of the limb leads to respective ones of the disposable electrodes.