Method of using a medical device
Inventors
Shaker, Matthew Robert • Kruska, Jesse S. • Fleck, Daniel
Assignees
Publication Number
US-11911627-B1
Publication Date
2024-02-27
Expiration Date
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Abstract
A method of using a medical device to take multiple electrocardiograms (ECG) and, if needed, to be converted into an automated external defibrillator (AED). The medical device is configured to take the ECG without deploying any AED electrode pad and, if convenient, to be held by a person so that the person can simply put fingers from both hands on two contacts to take the ECG. Alternatively, the two contacts may be placed on the person's bare skin. The medical device is configured to separate into two components: An AED body and a cartridge. A computer for viewing the ECG may be built into the medical device or may be connected to the medical device. Conversion of the medical device to an AED occurs by removing a first AED electrode pad and a second AED electrode pad from a flattened and stacked arrangement within the cartridge.
Core Innovation
A method of using a medical device configured to take multiple electrocardiograms (ECG) on one or more persons and to be converted into an automated external defibrillator (AED) when needed. The medical device is configured to take the ECG without deploying any AED electrode pad and to be held by a person so that the person can put fingers from both hands on two contacts to take the ECG or the two contacts may be placed on the person's bare skin.
The background identifies that an AED is not currently able to take an ECG without deploying the AED electrode pads and that after deployment the AED must be serviced or discarded, which is wasteful when an ECG shows defibrillation is not necessary. The disclosure states that typical AEDs are not configured to report an ECG in real-time outside of a cardiac emergency and that many patients need to report cardiac information routinely to a physician, requiring a second device under current practice.
The solution disclosed is a medical device able to repetitively take an ECG from one or more persons and quickly transform into a usable AED when needed, wherein the device separates into two components: an AED body and a cartridge that compactly stores the AED electrode pads electrically disconnected from a source of electricity. Conversion to an AED involves freeing the AED electrode pads from storage within the cartridge and applying the AED electrode pads on a person, with optional steps of separating the device into cartridge and AED body and plugging pins extending from the cartridge into receptacles on the AED body.
Claims Coverage
Seven inventive features are extracted from the independent claim coverage.
Provide a medical device configured to take one or more electrocardiograms (ECG)
Providing a medical device configured to take one or more electrocardiograms (ECG).
ECG without deploying AED electrode pads
Take the one or more ECG without deploying any AED electrode pad.
Use of external first and second electrical contacts for ECG
Take the one or more ECG using a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact that are accessible on an external surface of the medical device.
Separate electrical paths for finger contacts and AED pads
Require the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact to utilize a first electrical path that is different from a second electrical path utilized for any AED electrode pad.
Convertible to a functional AED that provides an electrical shock
Convert to a functional Automated External Defibrillator (AED), the functional AED configured to provide an electrical shock after using AED electrode pads to take the ECG to detect if a shockable arrythmia is present.
Identify need for ECG from a person with bare skin
Identifying a need for the ECG from a person, the person having bare skin accessible to the medical device.
Touch bare skin to the first and second electrical contacts
Touching the bare skin to the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact of the medical device.
The independent claim centers on a medical device that repetitively captures ECGs via external finger/skin contacts using distinct electrical paths from AED pads, and that is convertible into a functional AED capable of delivering a shock by deploying stored electrode pads and connecting cartridge pins to the AED body.
Stated Advantages
Enables taking of multiple ECGs without deploying the AED electrode pads.
Enables on-demand ECGs and associated transmission of ECG data during non-cardiac emergencies.
With simple reconfiguration steps, enables transformation of the medical device configured for repetitive ECG measurements into a functional AED.
Enables compact storage of two AED electrode pads that are electrically disconnected from a source of electricity.
Has a unique circuit board configuration with two CPUs that supports a compact design for both the ECG and AED functions.
Documented Applications
Emergency medical industry.
Taking multiple electrocardiograms on one or more persons and converting to an AED to supply an electrical shock to a person requiring defibrillation.
On-demand ECGs and associated transmission of ECG data during non-cardiac emergencies.
Non-emergency ECG collection for routine reporting to a physician.
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