Assessing medical electrode condition
View Patent ↗An apparatus and techniques for determining whether a medical electrode, such as a defibrillation electrode coupled to an automated external defibrillator, is in a condition for replacement. The determination can be made as a function of one or more data. In one exemplary embodiment, the determination is a function of one or more measurements of an impedance of a hydrogel bridge in a test module. In another exemplary embodiment, the determination is a function of one or more environmental condition data from one or more environmental sensors.
1. An automated external defibrillator comprising a processor and at least one defibrillation electrode, wherein the processor is configured to:
receive at least one environmental condition datum from an environmental sensor;
compare the environmental condition datum with a predetermined threshold;
determine whether the defibrillation electrode is in a condition for replacement based on the comparison between the environmental condition datum and the predetermined threshold;
update a usable shelf life of the defibrillation electrode as a function of the environmental condition datum; and
generate an alert when the defibrillation electrode is in a condition for replacement according to the updated usable shelf life.
2. The automated external defibrillator of claim 1 , further comprising the environmental sensor.
3. The automated external defibrillator of claim 1 , wherein the environmental sensor comprises at least one of a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor.
4. The automated external defibrillator of claim 1 , further comprising memory configured to store at least one of the expiration date received from an input module, a manufacturing date received from the input module, a plurality of environmental condition data over time received from the environmental sensor, a temperature shelf life curve and a humidity shelf life curve.
5. The automated external defibrillator of claim 1 , further comprising an impedance measure module configured to measure an impedance between a first test lead and a second test lead in electrical contact with a hydrogel bridge.
6. The automated external defibrillator of claim 1 , further comprising an impedance measure module configured to measure an impedance between a first test lead and a second test lead in electrical contact with a hydrogel bridge, the first test lead and the second test lead electrically isolated from a therapy delivery plate of a defibrillation electrode capable of delivering electrical therapy when coupled to the defibrillator.
7. The automated external defibrillator of claim 1 , further comprising:
a user interface; and
in which the processor is further configured to control the user interface to display an updated expiration date determined from the updated usable shelf life.