Rapid visual cuing apparatus for cardiac EKG rhythms

• US 8,747,117 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2011
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EKG Concepts, LLC
• Original Assignee: EKG Concepts, LLC
• Inventors: Krause, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Fernstrom, Kurt
• Application Number:
  US13/110,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20120065531A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,119 Days
• Field of Search: 434/156, 434/157, 434/262, 434/365, 434/366, 434/367, 434/428, 434/429, 283/34, 283/35, 283/46, 283/61, 283/62, 283/115, 283/117, 283/900
• US Class Current: 434/262
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/322 Physical templates or devices for measuring ECG waveforms, e.g. electrocardiograph rulers or calipers by template matching A61B5/35
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/339 Displays specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/361 Detecting fibrillation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/363 Detecting tachycardia or bradycardia
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/364 Detecting abnormal ECG interval, e.g. extrasystoles, ectopic heartbeats
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/366 Detecting abnormal QRS complex, e.g. widening

Abstract

The present invention is a visual cuing device which allows users to rapidly and easily identify ECG/EKG cardiac arrhythmias and twelve lead ECG/EKG arrhythmias. A visual cuing device contains a plurality of panels with a plurality of graphically displayed ECG/EKG abnormalities alternated with visually high-contrast, solid colored text sections. A visual cuing device may also contain additional tools, such as a heart rate reference line, time reference line or baseline window to aid in analysis and interpreting ECG/EKG strips. A visual cuing device may also be adapted to display using a touch screen or other user interface.

Claims

1. A visual cuing machine for heart arrhythmias comprising:

at least twelve pivotally attached visual cuing panels having a width of no less than 5.5 inches and a height of no less than one inch;

each of said pivotally attached visual cuing panels attached by a reinforced plastic seam which alternates the direction in which each panel pivots to allow said machine to be folded and stored; and

each of said visual cuing panels further having a front surface and a back surface, wherein at least nine of said at least twelve visual cuing panels contain at least one visually identifiable graphically displayed EKG abnormality on at least one of said front surface and said back surface.

2. The visual cuing machine of claim 1 wherein said graphically displayed EKG abnormalities are alternated with at least one visually high-contrast, alternating solid-colored text section, wherein said at least one solid-colored text section contains at least one textual indication selected from the group consisting of an EKG abnormality name, a known EKG abnormality acronym, a known EKG abnormality abbreviation, key characteristics of an EKG abnormality, suggested treatment protocols, suggested medications, legend information, instructions on how to read and interpret ECG/EKG strips, heart diagrams, exemplary ECG/EKG waves, instructions for setting up a twelve lead ECG/EKG, and combinations thereof.

3. The visual cuing machine of claim 1 wherein more than one graphically displayed EKG abnormality is displayed on a single panel.

4. The visual cuing machine of claim 1 wherein said at least one graphically displayed EKG abnormality is scaled to a time duration of at least 6 seconds.

5. The visual cuing machine of claim 1 wherein said reinforced plastic seams are comprised of at least two continuous panel portions and an aperture reinforced with at least two layers of laminate material.

6. The visual cuing machine of claim 5 wherein said aperture is die cut.

7. The visual cuing machine of claim 1 wherein said pivotally attached visual cuing panels are capable of being rapidly opened to display at least five EKG abnormalities at one time to allow for rapid visual cuing of EKG abnormalities.

8. The visual cuing machine of claim 1 wherein said at least one EKG abnormality is selected from the group consisting of normal sinus rhythm, sinus bradycardia, sinus tachycardia, sinus arrhythmia, sinus with ST depression, sinus with ST elevation, sinus rhythm with significant Q-wave, sinus with wide QRS and inverted T-wave, sinus arrest, atrial tachycardia, sinus with paroxysmal superventricular tachycardia, Wolf Parkinson White Syndrome, atrial flutters, artifact, atrial fibrillation, multi atrial tachycardia, sinus with premature atrial contractions, sinus with premature junctional contractions, junctional escape rhythm, accelerated junctional rhythm, atrial pacing, ventricular pacing, ventricular pacing with failure to capture, atrial ventricular pacing, 1st degree heart block, 2nd degree type I, 2nd degree type II, 3rd degree heart block (complete heart block), 3rd degree AV block with junctional escape pacemaker, sinus with unifocal premature ventricular contractions, sinus with multi-focal premature ventricular contractions, sinus with episodes of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia, sinus with premature ventricular contractions converting to ventricular tachycardia (R on T), sustained ventricular tachycardia, Tor sades de pointe, ventricular fibrillation, idioventricular rhythm, accelerated idioventricular rhythm, agonal rhythm (dying heart), ventricular standstill progressing to asystole, inferior wall changes, septal wall changes, anterior wall changes, lateral wall changes, anterospetal wall changes, anterolateral wall changes, anterolateral wall injury, interior wall injury, septal wall injury, anterior wall injury, lateral wall injury, anteroseptal wall injury, ST elevation in inferior/lateral wall with reciprocal changes, left bundle branch block, and right bundle branch block.

9. The visual cuing machine of claim 1 wherein said visual cuing panels are laminated with a substance capable of being disinfected.

10. The visual cuing machine of claim 1 wherein said visual cuing panels are laminated with a substance capable of being written on with a dry-erase marker.

11. The visual cuing machine of claim 1 wherein each of said panels is comprised of at least three layers, said at least three layers being a laminate layer, a paper substrate layer, and a laminate layer.

12. The visual cuing machine of claim 1 wherein said visual cuing machine further contains a securing device for securing said visual cuing machine to a crash cart, said securing device selected from the group consisting of a binder ring, pole, chain, clamp, cord, tethering device, lynch pin, adhesives, hook-and-loop fastener, and combinations thereof.

13. The visual cuing machine of claim 1 which further includes at least one ECG/EKG strip analysis tool selected from the group consisting of a time reference line, a heart rate reference line and a baseline window.

14. The visual cuing machine of claim 1 wherein said graphically displayed ECG/EKG abnormalities are scaled between 50% and 100%.

15. The visual cuing machine of claim 1 wherein said visual cuing panels are adapted to display on a touch screen.

16. A visual cuing machine for heart arrhythmias comprising:

at least twelve pivotally attached visual cuing panels having a width of no less than 5.5 inches and a height of no less than one inch;

each of said pivotally attached visual cuing panels attached by a reinforced plastic seam which alternates the direction in which each panel pivots to allow said machine to be folded and stored;

each of said visual cuing panels further having a front surface and a back surface, wherein at least nine of said at least twelve visual cuing panels contain at least one visually identifiable graphically displayed EKG abnormality on at least one of said front surface and said back surface;

wherein said graphically displayed EKG abnormalities are alternated with at least one visually high-contrast, alternating solid-colored text section;

at least one heart rate reference line; and

at least one time reference line.

17. The visual cuing machine of claim 16 wherein said at least one heart rate reference line and at least one time reference line are disposed on an edge of a panel.

18. The visual cuing machine of claim 16 wherein said reinforced plastic seam is comprised of at least two continuous panel portions and a die cut aperture, said at least two continuous panel portions and said aperture further covered with a reinforcing laminate layer.

19. The visual cuing machine of claim 16 wherein said graphically displayed ECG/EKG abnormalities are displayed using at least two colors selected from the group consisting of black, red, and white.

20. The visual cuing machine of claim 16 wherein said text sections are displayed using at least two colors selected from the group consisting of black, white and red on a yellow background.