ASSESSING MEDICAL ELECTRODE CONDITION

• US 20090048636A1
• Filed: 10/22/2008
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Physio-Control Incorporated (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Emergency Response Systems Inc (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Joseph L., Nova, Richard C., McGrath, Thomas J., Nygaard, Larry R., Covey, Kevin K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,005,552 B2
• 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 1/048 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 1/3603 Control systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3931 Protecting, e.g. back-up systems

Abstract

The invention presents an apparatus and techniques for determining whether a medical electrode, such as a defibrillation electrode coupled to an automated external defibrillator, is in a condition for replacement. The determination can be made as a function of one or more data. In one exemplary embodiment, the determination is a function of one or more measurements of an impedance of a hydrogel bridge in a test module. In another exemplary embodiment, the determination is a function of one or more environmental condition data from one or more environmental sensors.

Claims

1. A defibrillator comprising:

an impedance measure module configured to measure an impedance between a first test lead and a second test lead in electrical contact with a hydrogel bridge, the first test lead and the second test lead electrically isolated from a therapy delivery plate of a defibrillation electrode capable of delivering electrical therapy when coupled to the defibrillator; and

a processor configured to determine whether the defibrillation electrode is in a condition for replacement as a function of the measurement.

2. The defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive at least one environmental condition datum from an environmental sensor and to determine the defibrillation electrode is in a condition for replacement as a function of the datum.

3. The defibrillator of claim 2, further comprising the environmental sensor.

4. The defibrillator of claim 2, wherein the environmental sensor comprises at least one of a temperature sensor or a humidity sensor.

5. The defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to notify a person when the defibrillation electrode is in a condition for replacement.

6. The defibrillator of claim 1, further comprising an alarm, wherein the processor is further configured to activate the alarm when the defibrillation electrode is in a condition for replacement.

7. The defibrillator of claim 1, further comprising memory configured to store at least one of the expiration date and a manufacturing date received from an input module.

8. The defibrillator of claim 7, further comprising the input module.

9. The defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the defibrillator comprises an automated external defibrillator.