Medical electrode and system thereof

A medical electrode device configured for long-term fetal monitoring from an abdomen of a pregnant woman, the device comprising:

• an absorbent material infused with an electrolyte gel, wherein the absorbent material comprises a cotton gauze having a plurality of strands wherein each strand is infused with the electrolyte gel;
• a press in contact with the absorbent material, the press comprising a plastic micro-bristle structure with a plurality of vertical plastic bristles, comprising a mixed population of between 60-80% straight and 20-40% curved bristles, wherein the bristles are sized to push the plurality of strands through a stratum corneum of a target skin area on a patient and to form channels that include the plurality of electrolyte infused strands within the stratum corneum;
• and
• an electrically conductive substrate adjacent to the press, the electrically conductive substrate in electrical contact with the absorbent material, wherein each electrolyte infused strand of the absorbent material is configured to function as a conductive channel from a site of ingress in the stratum corneum to the electrically conductive substrate.

A method of fetal monitoring, the method comprising:

• placing a plurality of medical electrodes coupled to a fetal monitor on a target skin area of a pregnant patient's abdomen;
• pressing on a press of each of the medical electrode, the press comprising a plastic micro-bristle structure with a plurality of vertical plastic bristles, wherein pressing on the press causes the plurality of vertical plastic bristles to drive a plurality of strands of an absorbent material through a stratum corneum of the target skin area, wherein each strand of the plurality of strands is infused with an electrolyte gel, wherein the plurality of strands are formed of cotton gauze;
• forming an electrically conductive channel, which includes the plurality of strands infused with the electrolyte gel, from a site of ingress in the stratum corneum to an electrically conductive substrate of the medical electrode through the plurality of strands;
• and
• detecting a signal from the electrically conductive substrate.