Electrode kit for easy and fast deployment in electroencephalogram acquisition and monitoring applications

• US 8,909,317 B1
• Filed: 07/15/2013
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NeuroWave Systems Inc.
• Original Assignee: NeuroWave Systems Inc.
• Inventors: Bibian, Stphane, Zikov, Tatjana
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S
• Application Number:
  US13/942,669
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 600/383, 600/391, 600/392
• US Class Current: 600/383
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/04 Arrangements of multiple sensors of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/221 Arrangements of sensors with cables or leads, e.g. cable harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/225 Connectors or couplings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/274 using snap or button fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/276 Protection against electrode failure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/378 Visual stimuli
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4094 Diagnosing or monitoring seizure diseases, e.g. epilepsy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4821 Determining level or depth of anaesthesia A61B5/1106 takes precedence

Abstract

Electrodes for use in electroencephalographic recording, including consciousness and seizure monitoring applications, have novel features that speed, facilitate or enforce proper placement of the electrodes, including any of alignment indicators, tabs and juts, color coding, and an insulating bridge between reference and ground electrodes which ensures a safe application distance between the conductive regions of the two electrodes in the event of cardiac defibrillation. A method of using a set of at least four such electrodes is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A set of electroencephalographic monitoring electrodes comprising:

at least four electrodes, including a first electrode for the patient'"'"'s right temple, a second electrode for the patient'"'"'s left temple, a reference electrode, and a ground electrode, each electrode having a front, a back, and bottom, top, left, and right sides, each electrode back having a conductive region surrounded by an insulating region;

at least part of the back of each electrode being adhesive or sticky for application to skin;

each electrode front being visually distinct from the fronts of the other electrodes;

the right temple electrode, left temple electrode, and reference electrode each having on their fronts one or more alignment indicators that visually aid in the proper placement of each of those electrodes by visually indicating electrode placement position and direction.

2. The electrode set of claim 1, wherein the planar distance between the conductive regions of the reference electrode and the ground electrode is enforced by a continuous insulating region between the two conductive regions, and said distance is at least the minimum effective distance for preventing electrical conduction between the two electrodes during cardiac defibrillation.

3. The electrode set of claim 1, wherein the one or more alignment indicators consist of one or more of dots, lines, arrows, crosses, or daggers, and said alignment indicators are one or more of marked, etched or stamped on the electrode fronts.

4. The electrode set of claim 1, wherein at least one electrode is a pre-gelled electrode having a spongy well of electrically conductive gel.

5. The electrode set of claim 1, wherein at least one electrode is a dry electrode having surface features.

6. The electrode set of claim 1, wherein each electrode has an independent connector for connecting to an electrode lead.

7. The electrode set of claim 6, wherein at least one connector is a standard electrode snap connector.

8. The electrode set of claim 7, wherein at least one connector is not a standard electrode snap connector.

9. A method of using a set of electroencephalographic monitoring electrodes comprising the steps of:

before or after either of the following two steps, peeling a right temple electrode from a backing, the electrode comprising a front, a back, a bottom, top, left and right sides, and applying the right temple electrode to a patient having a forehead, a right temple, a left temple, an eyeline, and a right and left eye, such that one or more alignment indicators on the front of the right temple electrode align with the eye line of the patient and point to the right side of the patient'"'"'s right eye;

after or before the preceding step or the following step, peeling a left temple electrode from a backing, the electrode comprising a front, a back, a bottom, top, left and right sides, and applying the left temple electrode to the left temple of the patient such that one or more alignment indicators on the front of the left temple electrode align with the eye line of the patient and point to the left side of the patient'"'"'s left eye;

after or before either of the preceding two steps, peeling a reference and a ground electrode from a backing and applying the reference electrode to the middle forehead of the patient approximately 1.5 inches above the patient'"'"'s eye line such that one or more alignment indicators on the front of the reference electrode align with a midline of the patient and point downward toward the patient'"'"'s nose, and applying the ground electrode to forehead of the patient at the distance from the reference electrode enforced by a continuous insulating region between two conductive regions of the reference electrode and ground electrode; and

using biopotentials measured by the electrodes to monitor the electroencephalogram of the patient.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the electrode placement of each electrode is determined by a unique color on the front of each of the electrodes.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the reference and ground electrodes are joined by a mutual foam insulating region or adhesive collar and are peeled from the backing together as a single piece, and applied to the patient as a single piece.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the electrodes are dry electrodes having surface features and are placed on the patient'"'"'s skin.

13. An electrode for electroencephalographic monitoring, the electrode having a front, a back, and bottom, top, left, and right sides, the electrode back having a conductive region surrounded by a foam insulating region, at least part of the back of the electrode being adhesive or sticky for application to skin,

the electrode having a distinguishing color on the electrode front;

the electrode having a pointed tab that is an extension of the insulating region extended in the same plane as the insulating region, the back of the tab not being adhesive or sticky, the tab having sufficient size to be grasped between a human forefinger and thumb;

the electrode having one or more alignment indicators on the electrode front that aid in placement of the electrode by visually indicating position and orientation; and

the electrode conjoined to a second electrode for electroencephalographic monitoring having a conductive region surrounded by a foam insulating region, the two electrodes being conjoined by continuous mutual foam insulating regions, the first electrode being a reference electrode and the second electrode being a ground electrode, wherein the planar distance between the conductive regions of the two electrodes is enforced by the continuous insulating region between the two conductive regions, and said distance is at least the minimum effective distance for preventing electrical conduction between the two electrodes during cardiac defibrillation.

14. An electrode for electroencephalographic monitoring, the electrode having a front, a back, and bottom, top, left, and right sides, the electrode back having a conductive region surrounded by a foam insulating region, at least part of the back of the electrode being adhesive or sticky for application to skin,

the electrode having a distinguishing color on the electrode front;

the electrode having a pointed tab that is an extension of the insulating region extended in the same plane as the insulating region, the back of the tab not being adhesive or sticky, the tab having sufficient size to be grasped between a human forefinger and thumb;

the electrode having one or more alignment indicators on the electrode front that aid in placement of the electrode by visually indicating position and orientation;

wherein the electrode is a pre-gelled electrode having a spongy well of electrically conductive gel.

15. The electrode of claim 14, wherein the electrode front is orange, beige, or yellow in color.

16. An electrode for electroencephalographic monitoring, the electrode having a front, a back, and bottom, top, left, and right sides, the electrode back having a conductive region surrounded by a foam insulating region, at least part of the back of the electrode being adhesive or sticky for application to skin,

the electrode having a distinguishing color on the electrode front;

the electrode having a pointed tab that is an extension of the insulating region extended in the same plane as the insulating region, the back of the tab not being adhesive or sticky, the tab having sufficient size to be grasped between a human forefinger and thumb;

the electrode having one or more alignment indicators on the electrode front that aid in placement of the electrode by visually indicating position and orientation;

wherein at the electrode is a dry electrode having surface features.

17. The electrode of claim 16, wherein the electrode front is orange, beige, or yellow in color.

18. An electrode for electroencephalographic monitoring, the electrode having a front, a back, and bottom, top, left, and right sides, the electrode back having a conductive region surrounded by a foam insulating region, at least part of the back of the electrode being adhesive or sticky for application to skin,

the electrode having a distinguishing color on the electrode front;

the electrode having a pointed tab that is an extension of the insulating region extended in the same plane as the insulating region, the back of the tab not being adhesive or sticky, the tab having sufficient size to be grasped between a human forefinger and thumb;

the electrode having one or more alignment indicators on the electrode front that aid in placement of the electrode by visually indicating position and orientation; and

the electrode further having a pointed jut that both indicates placement direction and position and enforces a placement distance from an edge of a patient'"'"'s eye.

19. An electrode for electroencephalographic monitoring, the electrode having a front, a back, and bottom, top, left, and right sides, the electrode back having a conductive region surrounded by a foam insulating region, at least part of the back of the electrode being adhesive or sticky for application to skin,

the electrode having a distinguishing color on the electrode front;

the electrode having a pointed tab that is an extension of the insulating region extended in the same plane as the insulating region, the back of the tab not being adhesive or sticky, the tab having sufficient size to be grasped between a human forefinger and thumb;

the electrode having one or more alignment indicators on the electrode front that aid in placement of the electrode by visually indicating position and orientation;

wherein the electrode has a snap connector that is larger or smaller or different in shape than a standard electrode snap connector.

20. The electrode of claim 19, wherein the shape of the snap connector is triangular, square, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, or shaped like stars of 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 points.