US 5,938,597 AGranted

Electrocardiograph bioelectric interface system and method of use

OwnerRobert A. Stratbuckerinventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A bioelectric interface is disclosed which provides three Einthoven triangle equivalent lead forming electrodes positioned on a subject's chest so as to provide a Wilson common terminal voltage essentially equivalent to that provided by an Einthoven triangle formed using leads positioned conventionally on a subject's limbs. Wilson common terminal forming resistors can be of fixed values or variable to allow adjustment of a produced Wilson common terminal voltage. Additional precordial electrodes are also typiclaly present. Electrodes can consist of single elements or groups of electrode elements, and are present in locational regions of the bioelectric interface which allow a single size system to fit to patients with various sized bodies. The electrodes can be of various physical shapes to allow not only direct signal measurement, but also to allow monitoring of high frequency content of signals and to allow enhanced resolution of a region from which measured signals originate. In addition, the present invention bioelectric interface is preferably held in place on a subject's chest with hydropolymer, and need not be removed to allow cardio-pulmonary-resuscitation, defibrillation, cardiac pacing, electro surgery, electro ablation or impedance cardiography to be performed, and it serves to preserve the relative spatial integrity of the positioning of the electrodes present during use. The presence of a number of spatially separated electrocardiogram system electrodes facilitates reduction of the adverse electrode edge effects when defibrillation is performed through the bioelectric interface.

Claims35

Dependent claims

A bioelectric interface comprising a support sheet in functional combination with at least three (3) spatially separated electrocardiogram system electrodes, each of said at least three (3) spatially separated electrocardiogram system electrodes being of a construction selected from the group consisting of:

a single electrical electrode element;
and
a group of electrically independent electrode elements;
each of said spatially separated electrocardiogram system electrodes being affixed to said support sheet in a manner such that the relative positions of said electrocardiogram system electrodes with respect to one another are essentially fixed therewithin, three (3) of said at least three (3) electrocardiogram system electrodes being configured in an RA, LA, LL electrocardiogram system electrode pattern,
said RA, LA and LL electrodes forming, when mounted to a subject's chest in use, an Einthoven frontal lead triangle with an equivalent I, II, III lead pattern presenting with a voltage with respect to ground at a Wilson common terminal formed from "Y" connected resistors from each of said RA, LA and LL electrodes, said resistors each being selected from the group consisting of:
fixed;
and
variable;
said voltage with respect to ground being within a selected range of deviation from a voltage with respect to ground which would present at a Wilson common terminal formed using conventional subject limb positioning of RA, LA and LL electrodes, said selected range of voltage deviation being selected from the group consisting of:
less than one (1.0) milivolt;
one (1.0) milivolt;
and
greater than one (1.0) milivolt;
thereby enabling familiar ECG data acquisition from ECG leads which reference to said Wilson common terminal;
said bioelectric interface further comprising perforations in said support sheet which allow easy detachment and deployment of said Einthoven triangle forming RA, LA and LL electrodes, so that said Einthoven triangle forming RA, LA, and LL electrodes are, in use, each positionable at locations selected from the group consisting of:
in contact with a subject's chest;
and
in conventional Einthoven triangle forming subject limb positions.

15 more elements

A method of providing an Einthoven triangle equivalent RA, LA, LL pattern of electrodes on the chest of a subject comprising the steps of:

a. providing a bioelectric interface comprising a support sheet in functional combination with at least three (3) spatially separated electrocardiogram system electrodes, at least one (1) of said at least three (3) spatially separated electrocardiogram system electrodes being of a construction consisting of a group of electrically independent electrode elements, each of said spatially separated electrocardiogram system electrodes being affixed to said support sheet in a manner such the relative positions of said electrocardiogram system electrodes with respect to one another are essentially fixed therewithin, three (3) of said at least three (3) electrocardiogram system electrodes being configured in an RA, LA, LL electrocardiogram system electrode pattern, said RA, LA and LL electrodes forming, in use, an Einthoven frontal lead triangle with an equivalent I, II, III lead pattern presenting with a voltage with respect to ground at a Wilson common terminal formed from "Y" connected resistors from each of said RA, LA and LL electrodes, said resistors each being selected from the group consisting of:
fixed;
and
variable;
said voltage with respect to ground being within a selected range of deviation from a voltage with respect to ground which would be present at a Wilson common terminal formed using conventional subject limb positioning of RA, LA and LL electrodes, said selected range of voltage deviation being selected from the group consisting of:
less than one (1.0) milivolt;
one (1.0) milivolt;
and
greater than one (1.0) milivolt;
thereby enabling familiar ECG data acquisition from ECG leads which reference to said Wilson common terminal;
b. applying said bioelectric interface to a subject;
c. selecting at least one electrically independent element in each of said at least one electrocardiogram system RA, LA and LL electrode(s) consisting of a group of electrically independent electrode elements to constitute the electrode of which it is an electrically independent element;
d. connecting said electrocardiogram system RA, LA and LL electrodes to appropriate inputs of an electrocardiogram system.

10 more elements

A bioelectric interface comprising a support sheet in functional combination with at least nine (9) spatially separated electrocardiogram system electrodes, each of said at least nine (9) spatially separated electrocardiogram system electrodes being of a construction selected from a group consisting of:

a single electrical electrode element;
and
a group of electrically independent electrode elements;
each of said spatially separated electrocardiogram system electrodes being affixed to said support sheet in a manner such that the relative positions of said electrocardiogram system electrodes with respect to one another are essentially fixed therewithin, nine (9) of said at least nine (9) electrocardiogram system electrodes being configured in an RA, LA, LL, V1, V2, V3, V4, V5, V6 electrocardiogram system electrode pattern, such that said nine (9) electrocardiogram system electrodes are applied to a subject's chest during use as follows:
electrode V1 in the region of the fourth intercostal space at the right sternal border;
electrode V2 in the region of the fourth intercostal space at the left sternal border;
electrode V4 in the region of the fifth intercostal space at the left mid-clavicular line;
electrode V3 in the region of the midpoint between electrode groups V2 and V4;
electrode V5 in the region of the fifth intercostal space in the left anterior axillary line;
and
electrode V6 in the region of the fifth intercostal space in the left mid-axillary line;
electrode RA being generally in the region of the second intercostal space to the right of the sternum;
electrode LA being generally in the region of the left fourth intercostal space in the mid-axillary line;
electrode LL being generally in the region of the inferior costal margin in the left mid-clavicular line;
said electrodes RA, LA and LL being positioned so as to form, in use, an Einthoven frontal lead triangle with an equivalent I, II, III lead pattern presenting with a voltage with respect to ground at a Wilson common terminal formed from "Y" connected resistors from each of said RA, LA and LL electrodes, said resistors each being selected from the group consisting of:
fixed;
and
variable;
said voltage with respect to ground being within a selected range of deviation from a voltage respect to ground which would present at a Wilson common terminal formed using conventional subject limb positioning of RA, LA and LL electrodes, said selected range of voltage deviation being selected from the group consisting of:
less than one (1.0) milivolt;
one (1.0) milivolt;
and
greater than one (1.0) milivolt);
thereby enabling familiar ECG data acquisition from ECG leads which reference to said Wilson common terminal;
said bioelectric interface further comprising perforations in said support sheet which allow easy detachment and deployment of said Einthoven triangle forming RA, LA and LL electrodes therefrom so that said Einthoven triangle forming RA, LA, and LL electrodes are, in use, positionable at locations selected from the group consisting of:
in contact with a subject's chest;
and
in conventional Einthoven triangle subject limb positions.

25 more elements

A method of acquiring electrocardiographic data comprising the steps of:

a. providing a bioelectric interface comprising a support sheet in functional combination with at least nine (9) spatially separated electrocardiogram system electrodes, each of said at least nine (9) spatially separated electrocardiogram system electrodes being of a construction selected from a group consisting of:
a single electrical electrode element;
and
a group of electrically independent electrode elements;
each of said spatially separated electrocardiogram system electrodes being affixed to said support sheet in a manner such the relative positions of said electrocardiogram system electrodes with respect to one another are essentially fixed therewithin, nine (9) of said at least nine (9) electrocardiogram system electrodes being configured in an RA, LA, LL, V1, V2, V3, V4, V5, V6 electrocardiogram system electrode pattern, such that said nine (9) electrocardiogram system electrodes are applied to a subject's chest during use as follows:
electrode V1 in the region of the fourth intercostal space at the right sternal border;
electrode V2 in the region of the fourth intercostal space at the left sternal border;
electrode V4 in the region of the fifth intercostal space at the left mid-clavicular line;
electrode V3 in the region of the midpoint between electrode groups V2 and V4;
electrode V5 in the region of the fifth intercostal space in the left anterior axillary line;
and
electrode V6 in the region of the fifth intercostal space in the left mid-axillary line;
and
said electrodes RA, LA and LL being positioned so as to form, in use, an Einthoven frontal lead triangle with an equivalent I, II, III lead pattern presenting with a voltage with respect to ground at a Wilson common terminal formed from "Y" connected resistors from each of said RA, LA and LL electrodes, at least one of said resistors from each of said RA, LA and LL electrodes being variable;
said voltage with respect to ground being within a selected range of deviation from a voltage respect to ground which would present at a Wilson common terminal formed using conventional subject limb positioning of RA, LA and LL electrodes, said selected range of voltage deviation being selected from the group consisting of:
less than one (1.0) milivolt;
one (1.0) milivolt;
and
greater than one (1.0) milivolt;
thereby enabling familiar ECG data acquisition from ECG leads which reference to said Wilson common terminal;
b. affixing said bioelectric interface to a subject and causing electrodes therein to be electrically attached to an electrocardiographic system;
c. adjusting the resistance value of at least one of said at least one Wilson common terminal forming "Y" connected resistors, from each of said RA, LA and LL electrodes, which is variable, to place the Wilson common terminal voltage within a selected range of deviation from a voltage which would present at a Wilson common terminal formed using conventional subject limb positioning of RA, LA and LL electrodes, said range being selected from the group consisting of:
less than one (1.0) milivolt;
one (1.0) milivolt;
and
greater than one (1.0) milivolt);
such that familiar electrocardiographic data from ECG leads which reference to said Wilson common terminal, is obtained.

24 more elements

a single electrical electrode element;
and
a group of electrically independent electrode elements;
each of said spatially separated electrocardiogram system electrodes being affixed to said support sheet in a manner such that the relative positions of said electrocardiogram system electrodes with respect to one another are essentially fixed therewithin, three (3) of said at least three (3) electrocardiogram system electrodes being configured in an RA, LA, LL electrocardiogram system electrode pattern;
which RA, LA and LL electrodes, when functionally combined with resistors from each thereof, which resistors are "Y" interconnected to provide a Wilson central terminal, form an Einthoven frontal lead triangle with an equivalent I, II, III lead pattern when mounted to a subject's chest;
such that when mounted to a subject's chest in use a voltage with respect to ground developed at said Wilson central terminal is within a selected range of deviation from a voltage with respect to ground which would present at a Wilson central terminal formed using conventional subject limb positioning of said RA, LA and LL electrodes, said selected range of voltage deviation being selected from the group consisting of:
less than one (1.0) milivolt;
one (1.0) milivolt;
and
greater than one (1.0) milivolt;
thereby enabling familiar ECG data acquisition from ECG leads which reference to said Wilson central terminal;
said bioelectric interface further comprising perforation(s) in said support sheet which allow easy detachment and deployment of at least one of said Einthoven frontal lead triangle forming RA, LA and LL electrodes, so that said at least one of said Einthoven triangle forming RA, LA, and LL electrodes is/are, in use, positionable at locations selected from the group consisting of:
in contact with a subject's chest;
and
in conventional Einthoven triangle forming subject limb positions.

12 more elements

a single electrical electrode element;
and
a group of electrically independent electrode elements;
each of said spatially separated electrocardiogram system electrodes being affixed to said support sheet in a manner such that the relative positions of said electrocardiogram system electrodes with respect to one another are essentially fixed therewithin, three (3) of said at least three (3) electrocardiogram system electrodes being configured in an RA, LA, LL electrocardiogram system electrode pattern;
which RA, LA and LL electrodes, when functionally combined with resistors from each thereof which are "Y" interconnected to provide a Wilson central terminal, form an Einthoven frontal lead triangle with an equivalent I, II, III lead pattern when mounted to a subject's chest in use;
at least one of said resistors from said RA, LA and LL electrodes which are "Y" interconnected being variable such that, in use, said at least one resistor which is variable is adjusted to place the voltage which presents at the Wilson central terminal within a range of deviation from a voltage which would present at a Wilson central terminal formed using conventional subject limb positioning of RA, LA and LL electrodes, said range of deviation being selected from the group consisting of:
less than one (1.0) milivolt;
one (1.0) milivolt;
and
greater than one (1.0) milivolt;
thereby enabling familiar ECG data acquisition from ECG leads which reference to said Wilson central terminal.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/885,690Filed 30 Jun 1997 · continuation in part
Priority: 4 May 1995
Granted: 17 Aug 1999
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

A61B 5/282
For electrocardiography [ECG]: holders for multiple electrodes
A61B 5/259
Using adhesive means, e.g. adhesive pads or tapes: using conductive adhesive means, e.g. gels
A61N 1/046
Use-related aspects: specially adapted for shock therapy, e.g. defibrillation
A61N 1/0476
Structure-related aspects: array electrodes