Electrode garment

• US 8,868,216 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2009
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kpr U.S., LLC (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Dunagan, Jay M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, ERICA SHENGKAI
• Application Number:
  US12/432,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20100130847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,001 Days
• Field of Search: 600/386, 600388-390, 600/393, 607/149, 607/152, 607/153
• US Class Current: 607/149
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/02 Details of sensors specially adapted for in-vivo measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/256 Wearable electrodes, e.g. having straps or bands
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6805 Vests
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0456 Specially adapted for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation [TENS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36014 External stimulators, e.g. with patch electrodes external pacemakers A61N1/3625

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a wearable garment device for application of electrical current to a patient'"'"'s tissue. The garment device includes a material having a aperture and a mesh material extending across the aperture. At least one electrode is attached onto one side of the mesh material. The surface of the mesh material attached to the at least one electrode is defined as the outer surface. The other surface of the mesh material is defined as the inner surface. The inner surface of the mesh material is placed against the patient'"'"'s tissue to receive the electrical stimulation from the electrode.

Claims

1. A garment device for application of electrical current to a patient'"'"'s tissue, the garment device comprising:

a material member defining an aperture therethrough and comprising a first fastener;

an entirely non-conductive porous material extending across said aperture, the non-conductive porous material defining an inner surface facing toward the patient'"'"'s tissue and an outer surface facing away from the patient'"'"'s tissue; and

at least one electrode placed along the outer surface of the non-conductive porous material; and

a flap portion to cover the inner surface of the non-conductive porous material, the flap portion comprising a second fastener A garment device for application of electrical current to a patient'"'"'s tissue, the garment device comprising;

a garment comprising a first fastener and an entirely non-conductive porous material extending along a portion of the garment, the non-conductive porous material defining an inner surface facing toward the patient'"'"'s tissue and an outer surface facing away from the patient'"'"'s tissue;

at least one replaceable electrode placed on the outer surface of the non-conductive porous material; and

a flap portion to cover the inner surface of the non-conductive porous material, the flap portion comprising a second fastener that can engage with the first fastener to secure the flap portion in a closed position covering the inner surface of the non-conductive porous material;

wherein the entirely non-conductive porous material is disposed between the electrode and the patient'"'"'s tissue during use of the electrode so that, while the electrode is in use, the at least one electrode is in direct contact with the patient'"'"'s tissue through the entirely non-conductive porous material and, upon removal of the garment device, removal forces are distributed by the non-conductive porous material;

that can engage with the first fastener to secure the flap portion in a closed position;

wherein the entirely non-conductive porous material is disposed between the electrode and the patient'"'"'s tissue during use of the electrode so that, while the electrode is in use, the at least one electrode is in direct contact with the patient'"'"'s tissue through the entirely non-conductive porous material and, upon removal of the garment device, removal forces are distributed by the non-conductive porous material.

2. The garment device of claim 1, wherein the material member is adapted to encircle at least a portion of the patient.

3. The garment device of claim 1, wherein the non-conductive porous material is a mesh material.

4. The garment device of claim 1, further comprising a second flap portion configured to fold over said outer surface of the non-conductive porous material.

5. The garment device of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive layer applied to at least one of the inner and outer surfaces of the non-conductive porous material.

6. The garment device of claim 1, further comprising an envelope configured to support an energy delivery apparatus.

7. The garment device of claim 4, wherein the second flap portion is configured to fold over said outer surface of the non-conductive porous material and the at least one electrode positioned on the outer surface of the non-conductive porous material.

8. The garment device of claim 1, wherein the non-conductive porous material is removably attachable to the material member.

9. The garment device of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrode includes at least a pair of electrodes placed along the outer surface of the non-conductive porous material.

10. A garment device for application of electrical current to a patient'"'"'s tissue, the garment device comprising:

a garment comprising a first fastener and an entirely non-conductive porous material extending along a portion of the garment, the non-conductive porous material defining an inner surface facing toward the patient'"'"'s tissue and an outer surface facing away from the patient'"'"'s tissue;

at least one replaceable electrode placed on the outer surface of the non-conductive porous material; and

a flap portion to cover the inner surface of the non-conductive porous material, the flap portion comprising a second fastener that can engage with the first fastener to secure the flap portion in a closed position to cover the inner surface of the non-conductive porous material;

wherein the entirely non-conductive porous material is disposed between the electrode and the patient'"'"'s tissue during use of the electrode so that, while the electrode is in use, the at least one electrode is in direct contact with the patient'"'"'s tissue through the entirely non-conductive porous material and, upon removal of the garment device, removal forces are distributed by the non-conductive porous material.

11. The garment device of claim 10, wherein the garment is constructed from a fabric.

12. The garment device of claim 10, wherein the non-conductive porous material is a mesh material.

13. The garment device of claim 10, wherein the garment is configured to hold the at least one replaceable electrode in place.

14. The garment device of claim 10, wherein the electrode includes a hydrogel and is positioned such that the hydrogel is in contact with the non-conductive porous material.

15. The garment device of claim 10, wherein the garment further comprises an envelope configured to support an energy delivery apparatus.

16. The garment device of claim 10, wherein the at least one replaceable electrode further comprises an adhesive material on both an inner surface and an outer surface thereof.

17. The garment device of claim 10, wherein the non-conductive porous material is removably attachable to the garment.

18. The garment device of claim 10, wherein the at least one replaceable electrode includes at least a pair of replaceable electrodes placed on the outer surface of the non-conductive porous material.

19. A garment device for application of electrical current to a patient'"'"'s tissue, the garment device comprising:

a material member defining an aperture therethrough;

a first fastener attached to the material member;

an entirely non-conductive porous material extending across said aperture, the nonconductive porous material defining an inner surface facing toward the patient'"'"'s tissue and an outer surface facing away from the patient'"'"'s tissue;

a flap portion to cover the inner surface of the nonconductive porous material, the flap portion comprising a second fastener that can engage with the first fastener to secure the flap portion in a closed position to cover the inner surface; and

at least one electrode detachably located on the outer surface of the non-conductive porous material;

wherein the entirely non-conductive porous material is disposed between the electrode and the patient'"'"'s tissue during use of the electrode so that, while the electrode is in use, the at least one electrode is in direct contact with the patient'"'"'s tissue through the entirely non-conductive porous material and, upon removal of the garment device, removal forces are distributed by the non-conductive porous material.

20. The garment device of claim 19, wherein the non-conductive porous material is a mesh material.

21. The garment device of claim 19, wherein the material member has at least a second flap portion configured to cover the outer surface of the non-conductive porous material.

22. The garment device of claim 19, wherein the non-conductive porous material is removably attachable to the material member.

23. The garment device of claim 19, wherein the at least one electrode includes at least a pair of electrodes detachably located between the material member and the outer surface of the non-conductive porous material.