Configuration of cables for monitoring systems

A monitoring system for transmission of electrocardiographic signals from a patient residing within an infectious zone to a monitor console using a cable assembly, said monitoring system comprising:

• A monitor console to process and/or display said signals from said patient;
• and
• A cable assembly comprising of a trunk cable and a serial cable;
• said trunk cable being of a first length and comprising a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end adapted to interface with said monitor console, said distal end comprising a connector, said first length defined as the distance from said proximal end to said distal end;
• said serial cable being of a second length and comprising a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end comprising a connector, said distal end comprising at least one electrode adapted to interface with said patient and capture said electrocardiographic signals from said patient, said second length defined as the distance from said proximal end to said distal end;
• wherein said trunk cable distal end connector and said serial cable proximal end connector are each adapted to couple to one another;
• wherein said cable assembly comprising said serial cable connector coupled to said trunk cable connector is configured to transmit said electrocardiographic signals from said patient to said monitor console when said electrode is interfaced with said patient and said trunk cable is interfaced with said monitor console;
• wherein said patient resides within and is surrounded by an infectious zone having an outer boundary demarcated by a perimeter located beyond the reach of any portions of said patient's body;
• wherein the location of said perimeter is defined by said patient's caregiver;
• wherein said monitor console resides entirely outside said perimeter of said infectious zone, said monitor console being located a distance from said perimeter, said distance being of a third length;
• wherein said first length is less than said third length such that when said trunk cable proximal end is interfacing with said monitor console said trunk cable distal end connector cannot contact said perimeter of said infectious zone;
• and
• wherein the combination of said serial cable coupled to said trunk cable together has a total length equal to or greater than a distance from said electrode interfacing with said patient to said monitor console.

A method of preventing the transfer of infective agents along a series of patients utilizing a monitoring system, said monitoring system to be subsequently used consecutively amongst said series of patients, comprising:

• Defining an infectious zone surrounding said patient that is contaminated with infective agents, said infectious zone having an outer boundary demarcated by a perimeter located beyond the reach of any portions of said patient's body and where the location of said perimeter is defined by said patient's caregiver;
• Deploying a monitor console configured to process and/or display information conveyed from said patient, and placing said monitor console outside of said perimeter of said infectious zone such that it resides a distance from said perimeter, said distance defined by a third length;
• Deploying a cable assembly comprising a trunk cable and a serial cable,
• said trunk cable being of a first length and comprising a proximal end adapted to interface with said monitor console and a distal end comprising a connector, said first length defined as the distance from said proximal end to said distal end,
• said serial cable being of a second length and comprising a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end comprising a connector and a said distal end comprising a sensor device adapted to interface with said patient, said second length defined as the distance from said proximal end to said distal end,
• said trunk cable distal end connector and said serial cable proximal end connector adapted to couple to one another;
• wherein said first length is less than said third length such that when said trunk cable proximal end is interfacing with said monitor console, said trunk cable distal end connector cannot contact said perimeter of said infectious zone, and
• wherein the combination of said serial cable coupled to said trunk cable together has a total length equal to or greater than a distance from said sensor device interfacing with said patient to said monitor console;
• Connecting said patient to said monitor console through said cable assembly;
• wherein said connecting said patient comprises the steps of:
• (1) Interfacing said trunk cable proximal end to said monitor console and placing the entirety of said trunk cable in a position outside said perimeter of said infectious zone;
• (2) Coupling said trunk cable distal end connector to said serial cable proximal end connector such that both connectors are positioned outside said perimeter of said infectious zone;
• (3) Extending said serial cable distal end into said infectious zone to reach said patient;
• and
• (4) Interfacing said sensor device to said patient so that information can be acquired from said patient and transmitted to said monitor console;
• Monitoring said patient for a period of time;
• Disconnecting said patient from said monitor console by decoupling said serial cable proximal end connector from said trunk cable distal end connector while maintaining the trunk cable outside said perimeter of said infectious zone, thereby keeping said trunk cable and said monitor console free from contamination and preventing said transfer of said infective agents to a subsequent patient in said series of patients.

A monitoring system for transmission of information from a patient residing within an infectious zone to a monitor console using a cable assembly, said monitoring system comprising:

• A monitor console to process and/or display said information from said patient;
• and
• A cable assembly comprising a trunk cable, an intermediate cable, and a serial cable;
• said trunk cable being of a first length and comprising a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end adapted to interface with said monitor console, said distal end comprising a connector, said first length defined as the distance from said proximal end to said distal end;
• said intermediate cable being of a second length and comprising a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end comprising a connector and said distal end comprising a connector, said second length defined as the distance from said proximal end to said distal end;
• and
• said serial cable being of a third length and comprising a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end comprising a connector, said distal end comprising at least one sensor device adapted to interface with said patient and capture said information from said patient, said third length defined as the distance from said proximal end to said distal end;
• wherein said trunk cable distal end connector and said intermediate cable proximal end connector are each adapted to couple to one another;
• wherein said intermediate cable distal end connector and said serial cable proximal end connector are each adapted to couple to one another;
• wherein said cable assembly comprising said serial cable coupled to said intermediate cable and said intermediate cable coupled to said trunk cable is configured to transmit said information from said patient to said monitor console when said sensor device is interfaced with said patient and said trunk cable is interfaced with said monitor console;
• wherein said patient resides within and is surrounded by an infectious zone having an outer boundary demarcated by a perimeter located beyond the reach of any portions of said patient's body;
• wherein the location of said perimeter is defined by said patient's caregiver;
• wherein said monitor console resides entirely outside of said perimeter, said monitor console being located a distance from said perimeter, said distance being of a fourth length;
• wherein said first length is less than said fourth length such that when said trunk cable proximal end is interfacing with said monitor console said trunk cable distal end connector cannot contact said perimeter of said infectious zone;
• wherein said third length is less than the distance from said sensor device interfacing with said patient to said trunk cable distal end connector such that said serial cable proximal end connector cannot extend to a position to be able to couple to said trunk cable distal end connector;
• and
• wherein the combination of said serial cable coupled to said intermediate cable and said intermediate cable coupled to said trunk cable together has a total length equal to or greater than a distance from said sensor device interfacing with said patient to said monitor console.

A method of preventing the transfer of infective agents along a series of patients utilizing monitoring system, said monitoring system to be subsequently used consecutively amongst said series of patients, comprising:

• Defining an infectious zone surrounding said patient that is contaminated with infective agents, said infectious zone having an outer boundary demarcated by a perimeter located beyond the reach of any portions of said patient's body and where the location of said perimeter is defined by said patient's caregiver;
• Deploying a monitor console configured to process and/or display information conveyed from said patient, and placing said monitor console outside of said perimeter of said infectious zone such that it resides a distance from said perimeter, said distance defined by a fourth length;
• Deploying a cable assembly comprising a trunk cable, an intermediate cable, and a serial cable,
• said trunk cable being of a first length and comprising a proximal end adapted to interface with said monitor console and a distal end comprising a connector, said first length defined as the distance from said proximal end to said distal end,
• said intermediate cable being of a second length and comprising a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end comprising a connector and said distal end comprising a connector, said second length defined as the distance from said proximal end to said distal end;
• said serial cable being of a third length and comprising a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end comprising a connector and said distal end comprising at least one sensor device adapted to interface with said patient, said third length defined as the distance from said proximal end to said distal end;
• said trunk cable distal end connector and said intermediate cable proximal end connector adapted to couple to one another;
• and
• said intermediate cable distal end connector and said serial cable proximal end connector adapted to couple to one another;
• wherein said first length is less than said fourth length such that when said trunk cable proximal end is interfacing with said monitor console, said trunk cable distal end connector cannot contact said perimeter of said infectious zone;
• and
• wherein the combination of said serial cable coupled to said intermediate cable and said intermediate cable coupled to said trunk cable together has a total length equal to or greater than a distance from said sensor device interfacing with said patient to said monitor console;
• Connecting said patient to said monitor console through said cable assembly;
• wherein said connecting said patient comprises the steps of:
• (1) Interfacing said trunk cable proximal end to said monitor console and placing the entirety of said trunk cable in a position outside said perimeter of said infectious zone;
• (2) Coupling said trunk cable distal end connector to said intermediate cable proximal end connector such that both connectors are positioned outside said perimeter of said infectious zone;
• (3) Interfacing said sensor device with said patient;
• and
• (4) Extending said intermediate cable distal end towards said patient and coupling it to said serial cable proximal end connector such that said patient is connected to said monitor console so that information can be acquired from said patient and transmitted to said monitor console;
• Monitoring said patient for a period of time;
• Disconnecting said patient from said monitor console by decoupling said intermediate cable proximal end connector from said trunk cable distal end connector while maintaining said trunk cable outside said perimeter of said infectious zone, thereby keeping said trunk cable and said monitor console free from contamination and preventing said transfer of said infective agents to a subsequent patient in said series of patients.