Sensors, including disposable sensors, for measuring tissue

• US 9,861,293 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2015
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Myolex, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Myolex, Inc.
• Inventors: Lupton, Elmer C., Taylor, Haydn, Bohorquez, Jose, Li, Ken, Rinehart, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): HINDENBURG, MAX F
• Application Number:
  US14/826,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20160038053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0023 disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0406 specially shaped apparatus housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0431 Portable apparatus, e.g. comprising a handle or case
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0443 Modular apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0468 Built-in electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0223 Magnetic field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/04 Arrangements of multiple sensors of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/14 Coupling media or elements to improve sensor contact with skin or tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/166 the sensor is mounted on a specially adapted printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/053 Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0537 Measuring body composition by impedance, e.g. tissue hydration or fat content
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4519 Muscles A61B5/389, A61B5/224 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4836 Diagnosis combined with treatment in closed-loop systems or methods A61B5/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6832 using adhesives A61B5/259 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/684 Indicating the position of the sensor on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6843 : Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7221 : Determining signal validity, reliability or quality A61B5/7207 and A61B5/7217 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7225 : Details of analog processing, e.g. isolation amplifier, gain or sensitivity adjustment, filtering, baseline or drift compensation A61B5/30, A61B5/316 take precedence; transformers for specific applications H01F38/00; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7228 : Signal modulation applied to the input signal sent to patient or subject; demodulation to recover the physiological signal modulation H03C
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7235 : Details of waveform analysis A61B5/349 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7278 : Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 : using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 : using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 : User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/041 : Controlled or regulated

Abstract

Embodiments of devices and methods for evaluating tissue are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for measuring a characteristic of a tissue may include passing a current through the tissue, measuring a signal corresponding to the voltage resulting from passing the current through the tissue, analyzing current passed through the tissue and resulting voltage to determine the electrical characteristics of the tissue; and analyzing the electrical characteristics of the tissue to determine a status of the tissue. Disposable sensors are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for measuring a localized biological transfer impedance (LBTI) of a tissue, using a device including a disposable sensor with a plurality of electrodes, the plurality of electrodes including at least a pair of current electrodes and a pair of voltage electrodes, with one or more of the plurality of electrodes comprising one or more sensor pads, the method comprising:

positioning the plurality of electrodes of the device in contact with a portion of the tissue so that at least one sensor pad is in contact with the portion of tissue;

passing a current through the tissue using the pair of current electrodes so that the current also passes through the at least one sensor pad which is in contact with the portion of tissue;

measuring a signal across the pair of voltage electrodes, the signal corresponding to a voltage resulting from the current passed through the tissue;

and analyzing the current passed through the tissue and the measured signal to determine the localized biological transfer impedance (LBTI) of the tissue.

2. The method of claim 1, in which at least one of the one or more sensor pads comprises a hydrophilic coating.

3. The method of claim 2, in which the hydrophilic coating on at least one of the sensor pads comprises one or more gel blocks.

4. The method of claim 2, in which the hydrophilic coating on at least one of the sensor pads is prewetted during the assembly process of the device.

5. The method of claim 2 in which the hydrophilic coating on at least one of the sensor pads is moistened immediately prior to use.

6. The method of claim 3 in which the gel block comprises an ionic gel.

7. The method of claim 3 in which the gel block comprises a non-ionic gel.

15. The method of claim 3 in which at least one gel block is prewetted during the assembly process of the device.

16. The method of claim 3 in which at least one gel block is moistened immediately prior to use.

8. A device for measuring

the localized biological transfer impedance (LBTI) of a tissue comprising:

a disposable sensor with a plurality of electrodes, the plurality of electrodes including at least a pair of current electrodes and a pair of voltage electrodes, with one or more of the plurality of electrodes comprising one or more sensor pads,

a power supply configured to be operably coupled to the plurality of electrodes to supply a signal through the tissue;

analytical electronics configured to be operably coupled to the plurality of electrodes for analyzing a input current and resulting voltage to determine the electrical characteristics of the tissue; and

electronics configured to communicate to a user a result of analysis performed by the analytical electronics.

9. The device of claim 8 in which at least one of the one or more sensor pads comprises a hydrophilic coating.

10. The device of claim 9 in which the hydrophilic coating on at least one of the sensor pads comprises one or more gel blocks.

11. The device of claim 9 in which the hydrophilic coating on at least one of the sensor pads is prewetted during the assembly process of the device.

12. The device of claim 9 in which the hydrophilic coating on at least one of the sensor pads is moistened immediately prior to use.

13. The device of claim 10 in which the gel block comprises an ionic gel.

14. The device of claim 10 in which the gel block comprises a non-ionic gel.

17. The device of claim 10 in which at least one gel block is prewetted during the assembly process of the device.

18. The device of claim 10 in which at least one gel block is moistened immediately prior to use.