External defibrillator
An external defibrillator having a battery; a capacitor electrically communicable with the battery; at least two electrodes electrically communicable with the capacitor and with the skin of a patient; a controller configured to charge the capacitor from the battery and to discharge the capacitor through the electrodes; and a support supporting the battery, capacitor, electrodes and controller in a deployment configuration, the defibrillator having a maximum weight per unit area in the deployment configuration of 0.1 lb/in 2 and/or a maximum thickness of 1 inch. The support may be a waterproof housing.
1. An external defibrillator comprising:
a battery;
a capacitor electrically communicable with the battery;
at least two electrodes electrically communicable with the capacitor and with the skin of a patient;
a controller configured to charge the capacitor from the battery and to discharge the capacitor through the electrodes;
a unitary support supporting the battery, capacitor and controller in a deployment configuration; and
adhesive adapted to attach the external defibrillator to human skin in the deployment configuration;
the battery, capacitor, controller and electrodes being arranged within the support so that the external defibrillator has a maximum weight per unit area of 0.1 lb/in 2 in the deployment configuration.
2. The external defibrillator of claim 1 wherein the capacitor has a capacitance of at least 25 microFarads.
3. The external defibrillator of claim 1 wherein the electrodes are spaced at least 3 inches apart.
4. The external defibrillator of claim 1 further comprising an ECG monitor, the controller being further configured to charge the capacitor from the battery and to discharge the capacitor through the electrodes in response to an arrhythmia detected by the ECG monitor.
5. The external defibrillator of claim 4 further comprising an accelerometer adapted to detect a need to discharge the capacitor through the electrodes.
6. The external defibrillator of claim 4 further comprising a skin impedance sensor adapted to detect a need to discharge the capacitor through the electrodes.
7. The external defibrillator of claim 4 further comprising a blood oxygen saturation sensor adapted to detect a need to discharge the capacitor through the electrodes.
8. The external defibrillator of claim 1 wherein the support comprises a housing at least partially surrounding the battery, the capacitor and the controller.
9. The external defibrillator of claim 8 wherein the housing is conformable to a human torso.
10. The external defibrillator of claim 8 wherein the housing is waterproof.
11. The external defibrillator of claim 1 wherein the external defibrillator has a maximum thickness of 1 inch.
12. The external defibrillator of claim 1 wherein the support supports the electrodes in the deployment configuration.
13. An external defibrillator comprising:
a battery;
a capacitor electrically communicable with the battery;
at least two electrodes electrically communicable with the capacitor and with the skin of a patient;
a controller configured to charge the capacitor from the battery and to discharge the capacitor through the electrodes;
a housing supporting and at least partially surrounding the battery, the capacitor, the controller and the electrodes in a deployment configuration; and
adhesive adapted to attach the external defibrillator to human skin in the deployment configuration.
14. The external defibrillator of claim 13 wherein the capacitor has a capacitance of at least 25 microFarads.
15. The external defibrillator of claim 13 wherein the electrodes are spaced at least 3 inches apart.
16. The external defibrillator of claim 13 further comprising an ECG monitor, the controller being further configured to charge the capacitor from the battery and to discharge the capacitor through the electrodes in response to an arrhythmia detected by the ECG monitor.
17. The external defibrillator of claim 16 further comprising an accelerometer adapted to detect a need to discharge the capacitor through the electrodes.
18. The external defibrillator of claim 16 further comprising a skin impedance sensor adapted to detect a need to discharge the capacitor through the electrodes.
19. The external defibrillator of claim 16 further comprising a blood oxygen saturation sensor adapted to detect a need to discharge the capacitor through the electrodes.
20. The external defibrillator of claim 13 wherein the housing is conformable to a human torso.
21. The external defibrillator of claim 13 wherein the housing is waterproof.
22. A method of treating heart arrhythmias in a patient including the following steps:
engaging an external defibrillator with the patient by attaching a support to the patient's skin with adhesive, the support supporting a battery, a capacitor, a controller, an ECG monitor and two electrodes;
placing the two electrodes in electrical contact with the patient's skin;
leaving the support attached to the patient and the electrodes in electrical contact with the patient's skin up to 30 days;
and monitoring the patient's ECG with the ECG monitor while the electrodes are in contact with the patient's skin.
23. The method of claim 22 further comprising delivering a shock to the patient in response to a monitored arrhythmia.
24. The method of claim 22 wherein the engaging step comprises attaching to the patient a waterproof housing for the battery, the capacitor, the controller and the ECG monitor.
25. The method of claim 22 wherein the engaging step comprises supporting the defibrillator on the patient so that the battery, the capacitor, the controller, the ECG monitor and the electrodes have a maximum weight per unit area of 0.1 lb/in 2 .
26. The method of claim 22 further comprising supporting the defibrillator on the patient so that the battery, the capacitor, the controller, the ECG monitor and the electrodes have a maximum thickness of 1 inch.
27. The method of claim 22 wherein the engaging step comprises conforming the support to the patient's torso.