Electroconvulsive therapy testing and training device
AssigneeSomatics, Inc.
InventorsConrad Melton Swartz, Richard Stephen Abrams
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A free-standing device for the testing of ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) instruments, and for training doctors in using such instruments, includes circuits to generate electrical wave forms which simulate the EEG (electroencephalograph) detectable brain waves, EMG (electromyograph) muscle activity and heart beats of a patient undergoing ECT. In one embodiment the ECT output leads of the ECT instrument are plugged into the device, the training doctor selects the ECT current and the device generates response EEG and EMG waveforms. It also measures the current and displays its measurement as a test of the accuracy of the stimulus selection controls of the ECT instrument.
Claims20
A testing device to test the functioning of an ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) instrument;
- the ECT instrument performing EEG (electroencephalograph) and EMG (electromyograph) analysis, the testing device comprising:
- (a) a casing, and within the casing;
- (b) at least one EEG connector adapted to receive an EEG lead from the ECT instrument, EEG circuit means connected to the EEG connector to generate electrical wave forms that simulate the brain waves of a patient undergoing ECT in order to test the EEG analysis of the ECT instrument;
- (c) at least one EMG connector adapted to receive an EMG from the ECT instrument, EMG circuit means connected to the EMG connector to generate electrical wave forms that simulate the muscle activity of a patient undergoing ECT in order to test the EMG analysis of the ECT instrument.
A testing and training device to test the functioning of an ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) instrument and to train operators of the instrument;
- the ECT instrument performing EEG (electroencephalograph) and EMG (electromyograph) analysis and generating ECT voltages in response to ECT selection by an operator, the device comprising:
- (a) a casing, and within the casing;
- (b) at least one EEG connector adapted to receive an EEG lead from the ECT instrument, EEG circuit means connected to the EEG connector to generate electrical wave forms that simulate the brain waves of a patient undergoing ECT;
- (c) at least one EMG connector adapted to receive an EMG from the ECT instrument, EMG circuit means connected to the EMG connector to generate electrical wave forms that simulate the muscle activity of a patient undergoing ECT;
- (d) at least one input ECT connector adapted to receive an ECT lead from the ECT instrument, measurement circuit means connected to the ECT connector to measure the electrical current at the ECT connector;
- and
- (e) display means to display the measurement of (d).
A testing and training device to test the functioning of an ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) instrument to train operators of the instrument performing EEG (electroencephalograph) and EMG (electromyograph) analysis and generating ECT voltages in response to ECT selection by an operator, the device comprising:
- (a) casing, and within the casing;
- (b) at least one EEG connector adapted to receive an EEG lead from the ECT instrument, EEG circuit means connected to the EEG connector to generate electrical wave forms that simulate the brain waves of a patient undergoing ECT;
- (c) at least one EMG connector adapted to receive an EMG from the ECT instrument, EMG circuit means connected to the EMG connector to generate electrical wave forms that simulate the muscle activity of a patient undergoing ECT;
- (d) at least one input ECT connector adapted to receive ECT current from the ECT instrument;
- and
- (e) a computer based control circuit means to control the generation of wave forms of (b) and (c) in response to receipt of ECT current from the ECT instrument, the control circuit means simulating a normal patient's EEG and EMG detected activity during
- (i) an intense seizure in response to a high ECT stimulus (as would be seen with a stimulus over 2.0 times average seizure threshold for ECT), and
- (ii) an average seizure in response to a normal ECT stimulus (near seizure threshold for ECT).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.