Defibrillator electrodes with identification tags

• US 20040162586A1
• Filed: 04/25/2003
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Physio-Control Corp. (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Physio-Control Corp. (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Nygaard, Larry R., Covey, Kevin K.
• Application Number:
  US10/423,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20040162586A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/5
• 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 1/048 Electrodes characterised by a specific connection between lead and electrode
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0492 Patch electrodes A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3931 Protecting, e.g. back-up systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag

Abstract

Electrodes having electrode identification tags are used on medical devices, particularly on defibrillators. One such defibrillator uses electrical devices to query the tags and acquire electrode identification information. Software is also incorporated for querying the tags automatically and interpreting the acquired information.

Claims

1. A defibrillator comprising:

a housing having an electrical source adapted to generate a defibrillation shock;

a pair of electrodes adapted to be operatively coupled to the electrical source and adapted to deliver the defibrillation shock to a patient;

an electrode identification tag coupled proximate to at least one of the electrodes and adapted to wirelessly transmit electrode identification information; and

a primary receiver mounted to the housing and adapted to wirelessly receive the transmitted electrode identification information.

2. The defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the defibrillator is an automated external defibrillator.

3. The defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the pair of electrodes includes a connector for coupling the electrodes to the electrical source, the tag being coupled to the connector.

4. The defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the pair of electrodes includes an outer sheath covering a portion of a pair of leads each coupling a connector to one of the electrodes, the tag being coupled to the outer sheath.

5. The defibrillator of claim 1, wherein each of the pair of electrodes comprises a conductor pad, the tag being coupled to one of the conductor pads.

6. The defibrillator of claim 1, further comprising a pouch adapted to contain the electrodes when the electrodes are not in use, the tag being coupled to the pouch.

7. The defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the electrode identification information includes one or optionally more of an electrode type, an electrode expiration date, an electrode manufacturing lot-code, and a distinguishing code.

8. The defibrillator of claim 7, wherein the distinguishing code is adapted to distinguish one or more electrodes having same manufacturing lot-codes and same expiration dates.

9. The defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the tag comprises memory for storage of the electrode identification information.

10. The defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the tag is adapted to wirelessly transmit the electrode identification information upon its receipt of a query signal.

11. The defibrillator of claim 10, wherein the tag includes a transponder adapted to wirelessly transmit the electrode identification information upon its receipt of a query signal.

12. The defibrillator of claim 10, wherein the housing includes a transmitter adapted to wirelessly transmit the query signal.

13. The defibrillator of claim 12, wherein the transmitter is adapted to wirelessly transmit the query signal to acquire the electrode identification information as part of a defibrillator self-diagnostic routine.

14. The defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the at least one tag is adapted to wirelessly transmit the electrode identification information via radio waves.

15. The defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the pair of electrodes are located within sufficient range of the housing for the primary receiver to wirelessly receive the electrode identification information.

16. The defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the pair of electrodes comprises a spare pair of electrodes and the electrode identification tag comprises a spare electrode identification tag adapted to wirelessly transmit spare electrode identification information.

17. The defibrillator of claim 16, wherein the spare electrode identification information includes one or optionally more of a spare electrode type, a spare electrode expiration date, a spare electrode manufacturing lot-code, and a distinguishing code.

18. The defibrillator of claim 16, wherein the housing has a spare receiver adapted to wirelessly receive the spare electrode identification information.

19. The defibrillator of claim 18, wherein the housing includes a processor coupled to the spare receiver and the primary receiver, the processor adapted to interpret the electrode identification information from the primary receiver and the spare electrode identification information from the spare receiver.

20. The defibrillator of claim 16, wherein the primary receiver is adapted to wirelessly receive the spare electrode identification information.

21. The defibrillator of claim 20, wherein the housing includes a processor coupled to the primary receiver, the processor adapted to interpret the electrode identification information and the spare electrode identification information from the primary receiver.

22. The defibrillator of claim 21, wherein the processor is operatively coupled to at least one output element that is adapted to communicate the interpreted electrode identification information to a user of the defibrillator.

23. The defibrillator of claim 22, wherein the at least one output element comprises a series of light emitting diodes.

24. The defibrillator of claim 1, further including at least one sensor adapted to measure environmental conditions.

25. The defibrillator of claim 24, wherein the at least one sensor is coupled to the tag and adapted to measure environmental conditions proximate to the tag.

26. The defibrillator of claim 24, wherein the at least one sensor is coupled to the housing and adapted to measure environmental conditions proximate to the tag.

27. The defibrillator of claim 24, wherein the environmental conditions include air temperature and air humidity.

28. The defibrillator of claim 24, further comprising a processor mounted to the housing.

29. The defibrillator of claim 28, wherein the at least one sensor is operatively coupled to the processor.

30. The defibrillator of claim 28, wherein the processor is adapted to interpret the electrode identification information and the measured environmental conditions.

31. The defibrillator of claim 30, wherein the processor is adapted to evaluate the interpreted electrode identification information based on the interpreted environmental conditions.

32. The defibrillator of claim 31, wherein the processor is operatively coupled to at least one output element adapted to communicate the evaluated electrode identification information to a user of the defibrillator.

33. A device comprising:

a pair of electrodes adapted to deliver a defibrillation shock to a patient when operatively coupled to an electrical source; and

an electrode identification tag coupled proximate to at least one of the electrodes and adapted to wirelessly receive a query signal.

34. The device of claim 33, wherein the electrical source comprises an automated external defibrillator.

35. The device of claim 33, wherein the pair of electrodes includes a connector for coupling the electrodes to the electrical source, the tag being coupled to the connector.

36. The device of claim 33, wherein the pair of electrodes includes an outer sheath covering a portion of a pair of leads each coupling a connector to one of the electrodes, the tag being coupled to the outer sheath.

37. The device of claim 33, wherein each of the pair of electrodes comprises a conductor pad, the tag being coupled to one of the conductor pads.

38. The device of claim 33, further comprising a pouch adapted to contain the electrodes when the electrodes are not in use, the tag being coupled to the pouch.

39. The device of claim 33, wherein the tag is adapted to wirelessly transmit electrode identification information upon its receipt of the query signal.

40. The device of claim 39, wherein the tag includes a transponder adapted to wirelessly transmit the electrode identification information upon its receipt of the query signal.

41. The device of claim 39, wherein the tag is adapted to wirelessly transmit the electrode identification information via radio waves.

42. The device of claim 39, wherein the tag comprises memory for storage of the electrode identification information.

43. The device of claim 39, wherein the electrode identification information includes one or optionally more of an electrode type, an electrode expiration date, an electrode manufacturing lot-code, and a distinguishing code.

44. The device of claim 43, wherein the distinguishing code is adapted to distinguish one or more electrodes having same manufacturing lot-codes and same expiration dates.

45. A method of identifying electrodes associated with a defibrillator, comprising:

wirelessly transmitting a query signal from a housing, the housing having an electrical source adapted to generate a defibrillation shock, the electrodes selectively delivering the defibrillation shock to a patient when coupled to the electrical source;

wirelessly receiving the query signal within an electrode identification tag coupled proximate to at least one of the electrodes;

wirelessly transmitting electrode identification information stored in the electrode identification tag in response to receipt of the query signal; and

wirelessly receiving the electrode identification information within the housing.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising communicating the information through an output element.

47. The method of claim 45, further comprising wirelessly transmitting spare electrode identification information stored in a spare electrode identification tag associated with a spare pair of electrodes in response to receipt of the query signal.

48. The method of claim 45, further comprising measuring environmental conditions by at least one sensor.

49. The method of claim 48, further comprising evaluating the electrode identification information based on the environmental conditions.

50. A defibrillator comprising:

means for wirelessly transmitting a query signal from a housing, the housing having an electrical source adapted to generate a defibrillation shock,

electrode means selectively delivering the defibrillation shock to a patient when operatively coupled to the electrical source,

means for wirelessly receiving the query signal within an electrode identification tag coupled proximate to the electrode means,

means for wirelessly transmitting electrode identification information stored in the electrode identification tag in response to receipt of the query signal, and

means for wirelessly receiving the electrode identification information within the housing.

51. The defibrillator of claim 50, further comprising means for communicating the electrode identification information to an output element.

52. The defibrillator of claim 50, further comprising means for sensing environmental conditions.

53. The defibrillator of claim 52, further comprising means for evaluating the electrode identification information based on the environmental conditions.