Device and method for reducing patient transthoracic impedance for the purpose of delivering a therapeutic current

• US 9,101,778 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2014
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CardioThrive, Inc.
• Original Assignee: CardioThrive, Inc.
• Inventors: Savage, Walter T., Savage, Shelley J., Maclay, Walter N., Morrison, Douglas C., Geraty, Thomas K., Brinkerhoff, Mark D., Boeder, Ronald S., Ton, Tony M., Greger, Jeffrey S., Gray, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): PATTON, AMANDA K
• Application Number:
  US14/331,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20140324113A1
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• Field of Search: 607 4- 5, 607/148, 607/152
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/046 Specially adapted for shock therapy, e.g. defibrillation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0472 Structure-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0492 Patch electrodes A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/327 for enhancing the absorption properties of tissue, e.g. by electroporation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3904 External heart defibrillators [EHD]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3918 characterised by shock pathway, e.g. by electrode configuration
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3925 Monitoring; Protecting
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3968 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings A61N1/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3993 User interfaces for automatic external defibrillators

Abstract

A device and method for reducing patient transthoracic impedance for the purpose of delivering a therapeutic current are provided. In one embodiment, the device for reducing patient transthoracic impedance for the purpose of delivering a therapeutic current may be used in a defibrillator. The device for reducing patient transthoracic impedance for the purpose of delivering a therapeutic current may be a microneedle array that may have a number of different configurations and may be made with different materials.

Claims

1. A defibrillator, comprising:

at least two pads for delivering a shock to a patient;

each pad having a microneedle array with two or more rows of conductive microneedles;

a device for generating a therapeutic current to deliver the shock to the patient through the two pads; and

wherein the microneedle array of the two paddles applies a voltage and causes electroporation of a skin surface of the patient and delivers the shock to the patient through the skin surface.

2. The defibrillator of claim 1, wherein each microneedle in the microneedle array has the same shape or a different shape.

3. The defibrillator of claim 1, wherein each microneedle in the microneedle array has one of a cylindrical shape, a pyramidal shape, a prism shape, a curved blade shape, a conical shape and a C-channel shape.

4. The defibrillator of claim 3, wherein each microneedle is further modified to increase the effective surface area of the microneedle that penetrates into the skin of the patient.

5. The defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the pads use conductive hydrogel to deliver the therapeutic current using the microneedles.

6. The defibrillator of claim 1, wherein one or more of the microneedles are hollow.

7. The defibrillator of claim 1, wherein each microneedle is constructed from one of a pharmaceutical grade stainless steel, gold, titanium, nickel, iron, gold, platinum, tin, chromium, copper, alloys, silicon, silicon dioxide, capacitive carbon, graphite and polymers.

8. The defibrillator of claim 1, wherein each microneedle is constructed from a biocompatible material.

9. The defibrillator of claim 1 further comprising an impedance sensor that measures a depth of skin surface penetration of the microneedles.

10. A defibrillator device including one of a pad and a paddle, comprising:

a body portion;

a microneedle array with two or more rows of conductive microneedles attached to the body portion;

the device configured to receive a therapeutic current to deliver the shock to the patient through the device when used with a second device;

wherein the microneedle array, when the two devices are used, applies a voltage and causes electroporation of a skin surface of the patient and delivers the shock to the patient through the skin surface.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein each microneedle in the microneedle array has the same shape or a different shape.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein each microneedle in the microneedle array has one of a cylindrical shape, a pyramidal shape, a prism shape, a curved blade shape, a conical shape and a C-channel shape.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein each microneedle is further modified to increase the effective surface area of the microneedle that penetrates into the skin of the patient.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein one or more of the microneedles are hollow.

15. The device of claim 11, wherein each microneedle is constructed from one of a pharmaceutical grade stainless steel, gold, titanium, nickel, iron, gold, platinum, tin, chromium, copper, alloys, silicon, silicon dioxide, capacitive carbon, graphite and polymers.

16. The device of claim 11, wherein each microneedle is constructed from a biocompatible material.