Repositionable Electrode and Systems and Methods for Identifying Electrode Position for Cardiotherapy

• US 20100234909A1
• Filed: 11/03/2008
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Russell, James K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,948,885 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/363 Detecting tachycardia or bradycardia
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7221 Determining signal validity, reliability or quality A61B5/7207 and A61B5/7217 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/046 Specially adapted for shock therapy, e.g. defibrillation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0476 Array electrodes (including any electrode arrangement with more than one electrode for at least one of the polarities)
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0492 Patch electrodes A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3925 Monitoring; Protecting

Abstract

A system and method for positioning an electrode for cardiotherapy of atrial arrhythmia are described. Signals from patient electrical activity for a plurality of electrode locations on a patient are analyzed. An electrode can be repositioned to different locations on the patient to obtain signals from patient electrical activity therefrom. A human perceptible output indicative of the quality of the signals for the plurality of locations is generated and a final electrode location on the patient for placement of the electrode for cardiotherapy is identified based on the human perceptible output.

Claims

1. A system for treating heart arrhythmia comprising:

at least one electrode configured to be repositioned to a plurality of locations on a patient'"'"'s skin and conduct electrical activity therefrom;

an electrocardiotherapy device electrically coupled to the electrode, the device operable to receive signals from the electrode, analyze the received signals, and generate human perceptible output indicative of the quality of the received signals from the plurality of locations.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrocardiotherapy device comprises a controller operable to measure a patient ECG and further operable to analyze the patient ECG and calculate a measure for atrial signal component strength to generate the human perceptible output indicative of the quality of the received signals.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the controller is operable to calculate a measure for the atrial signal component strength based on the amplitude of the atrial signal component of an ECG signal.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller is operable to calculate a measure for the atrial signal component strength based on the amplitude of the atrial signal component relative to a threshold amplitude.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrocardiotherapy device comprises a defibrillator.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrode comprises:

a substrate;

a conductor disposed on a lower surface of the substrate;

an electrode having an upper surface contacting the conductor, the electrode adapted to conduct electrical signals to and from a patient'"'"'s skin;

an adhesive lower surface of the electrode;

a release layer having a non-adhesive upper surface extending across the adhesive surface, the release layer comprising a conductive material extending from the upper surface to a lower surface thereof and contacting the electrode.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrode comprises:

a substrate;

a conductor disposed on a lower surface of the substrate;

an electrode having an upper surface contacting the conductor, the electrode adapted to conduct electrical signals to and from a patient'"'"'s skin;

an adhesive lower surface of the electrode;

first and second release layers having a non-adhesive upper surface extending across portions of the adhesive surface, the release layers comprising a non-conductive material.

8. A method for positioning an electrode for cardiotherapy comprising:

analyzing atrial-related signals from patient electrical activity for a plurality of electrode locations on a patient;

generating human perceptible output indicative of the quality of the atrial-related signals for the plurality of locations; and

identifying a final electrode location on the patient for placement of the electrode for cardiotherapy based on the human perceptible output.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising repositioning the electrode to different locations on the patient to obtain atrial-related signals from patient electrical activity therefrom.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein repositioning the electrode to different locations on the patient comprises removing a first release layer of the electrode to expose a conductive portion and moving the electrode to different locations on the patient, the method further comprising removing a second release layer of the electrode to expose an adhesive portion and adhering the electrode to the final electrode location on the patient.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein analyzing signals from patient electrical activity comprises:

measuring patient ECG;

analyzing the patient ECG; and

calculating a measure for atrial signal component strength of the patient ECG.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein calculating the measure for the atrial signal component strength is based on the amplitude of the atrial signal component.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein calculating the measure for the atrial signal component strength is based on the amplitude of the atrial signal component relative to a threshold amplitude.

14. An electrode assembly including a pair of electrodes which may be independently positioned on the body of a subject, at least one of the electrodes comprising:

a substrate;

a conductor disposed on a lower surface of the substrate;

an electrode having an upper surface contacting the conductor and a lower surface, the lower surface having first and second portions, the first portion having a greater adhesive strength than the second portion, the electrode adapted to conduct electrical signals to a patient'"'"'s skin;

a first release layer extending across and contacting the first portion; and

a second release layer extending across and contacting the second portion.

15. The electrode assembly of claim 14, wherein the electrode comprises hydrogel.

16. The electrode assembly of claim 14, wherein the adhesion strength of the first portion is greater than two times that of the second portion.

17. The electrode assembly of claim 14, wherein the second portion does not include an adhesive deposited thereon.

18. An electrode assembly including a pair of electrodes which may be independently positioned on the body of a subject, at least one of the electrodes comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of conductors disposed on the substrate;

a plurality of electrodes, each having an upper surface contacting one of the plurality of conductors and a lower surface, the lower surface having first and second portions, the first portion having a substantially greater adhesive strength than the second portion, the electrodes adapted to conduct electrical signals from a patient'"'"'s skin;

a first release layer extending across and contacting the first portion; and

a second release layer extending across and contacting the second portion.

19. The electrode assembly of claim 18, further comprising a plurality of wires each secured to one of the conductors.

20. The electrode assembly of claim 19, wherein the wires are coupled to a monitoring device, the monitoring device operable to produce an output corresponding to a combination of electrical signals from the plurality of electrodes.

21. The electrode assembly of claim 18, wherein the plurality of electrodes comprise hydrogel.