Biomedical electrode

Details Biomedical electrode Biomedical electrode

1996-05-14

1998-03-10

Bahr, Jennifer

Surgery

Truss

Pad

128640, 128643, A61B 504

Patent

active

057249660

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to biomedical electrodes, that is, electrodes for use in carrying out examinations or treatments in which an electrode is kept in electrical contact with the skin of a patient. ECG and EEC electrodes are examples of electrodes of that kind.
More particularly, the invention relates to absorber means for use in an electrode of the aforementioned kind and serving to absorb moist contaminants, such as sweat, electrolytic gel, saline or the like, from the skin area adjacent the electrode.
An electrode of the aforementioned kind is incorporated in the vacuum electrode device disclosed in WO93/16633. It comprises a contaminant absorber which is combined with a support that also serves as a sealing member and with an electrode member to form a readily replaceable unit.
The contaminant absorber serves to prevent moist contaminants, such as sweat or other skin secretions from the area of the skin where the electrode is applied, or agents applied to the skin or the electrode member to improve the electrical contact between the skin and the electrode member, from contacting and contaminating that part of the electrode device which holds the electrode member in position on the skin and which is not frequently replaced; normally, the unit in which the contaminant absorber is incorporated is replaced after each use or after a few uses.
However, the contaminants are problematic not only because they soil the electrode components they come into contact with. It has been found that they often have an adverse and unpredictable effect on the signals taken up from the patient through the electrode member, e.g. in ECG measurements.
It is not clear why the contaminants have this adverse effect, but the explanation is believed to be that they result in the electrode member being in electrical contact with the skin not only over the well-defined skin area which the skin engaging face of the electrode member contacts, but also over an undefined surrounding skin area; the connection between the last-mentioned area is by way of a surface layer of contaminant fluid which possesses a varying conductivity.
It has been found that the contaminant absorber efficiently takes up the contaminants around the skin engaging face of the electrode member. However, although the absorber when dry is a good electrical insulator, the absorption of the contaminants confers a certain electrical conductivity on the absorber. Because a portion of the absorber of the prior art electrode contacts the electrode member, there is a possibility for the contaminants absorbed into the absorber to establish an electrical connection between the electrode member and the skin area surrounding it.
Regardless of what actually causes the problem, the construction according to the present invention as set forth in the claims greatly reduces it.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

As will become apparent from the following description, the solution comprises mounting the contaminant absorber on a support such that it will be electrically insulated from the electrode member even when the contaminant absorber has taken up contaminants. Preferably, the arrangement is such that there will also be a capillary break or interruption between the contaminant absorber and the electrode member, that is to say that there will be no path on which the contaminant can migrate under capillary action up to the electrode member.
The assembly formed by the contaminant absorber and the support may optionally include the electrode member; if desired, the latter may be provided separately and combined with the absorber-support assembly when the assembly is to be used.
If the electrode member is not a permanent part of the absorber-support assembly, it may be combined with it by attaching, by means of a snap-action connector or the like, the absorber-support assembly to the rest of the electrode device, on which the electrode element is mounted.
Alternatively, the absorber-support assembly may first be combined with the electrode member whereupon the

REFERENCES:
patent: 4369793 (1983-01-01), Staver et al.
patent: 4646747 (1987-03-01), Lundback
patent: 4708381 (1987-11-01), Lundback
patent: 4736749 (1988-04-01), Lundback
patent: 4938218 (1990-07-01), Goodman et al.
patent: 5345935 (1994-09-01), Hirsch et al.

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