CPR chest compression monitor for infants

1. A device for measuring depth, velocity or rate of CPR chest compressions performed on the thorax of a cardiac arrest victim, where the thorax is characterized by a chest wall, a back and a thickness, said device comprising:

a frame sized and dimensioned to fit at least partially around the thorax of the cardiac arrest victim, said frame having an anterior segment and a posterior segment, the anterior segment and the posterior segment joined by an arcuate segment to form said frame, wherein said frame is resiliently biased to an open configuration as large or larger than the thickness of the victim's thorax;

an anterior sensor capable of producing a signal corresponding to motion of the chest wall during compressions, said anterior sensor disposed in or on the anterior segment of the frame;

a posterior sensor capable of producing a signal corresponding to motion of the thorax during compressions, said posterior sensor disposed in or on the posterior segment of the frame; and

a control system operable to receive the signal corresponding to motion of the chest wall and the signal corresponding to motion of the thorax and determine the depth, velocity or rate of chest compressions therefrom.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said frame is U-shaped, and the anterior sensor is disposed proximate the tip of the anterior segment and the posterior sensor is disposed proximate the tip of the posterior segment.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the anterior sensor comprises an accelerometer-based chest compression monitor and the posterior sensor comprises an accelerometer-based chest compression monitor capable of producing acceleration signals corresponding to the acceleration of the chest and the acceleration of the back; and

the control system is operable to integrate and combine the signals corresponding to the acceleration of the chest and the acceleration of the back to determine the depth of chest compression performed on the victim.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein the anterior sensor comprises an accelerometer-based chest compression monitor and the posterior sensor comprises an accelerometer-based chest compression monitor capable of producing acceleration signals corresponding to the acceleration of the chest and the acceleration of the back; and

the control system is operable to integrate and combine the signals corresponding to the acceleration of the chest and the acceleration of the back to determine the depth of chest compression performed on the victim.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the anterior sensor comprises a velocity sensor and the posterior sensor comprises a velocity sensor capable of producing velocity signals corresponding to the velocity of the chest and the velocity of the back; and

the control system is operable to integrate and combine the signals corresponding to the velocity of the chest and the velocity of the back to determine the depth of chest compression performed on the victim.

6. The device of claim 1 , further comprising means for providing feedback to a CPR provider, wherein the control system is further operable to report the determined depth of compression through the means for providing feedback to a CPR provider.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further operable to compare the measured depth of compression to a desired depth of compression and report to a CPR provider whether the achieved depth of compression meets or fails to meet the desired depth.

8. The device of claim 7 , further comprising a means of determining the distance between the anterior segment of the frame and the chest wall, wherein the control system is operable to determine the size of the cardiac arrest victim based on the distance between the anterior segment of the frame and the chest wall and provide feedback regarding the performance of chest compressions based on the determined size of the cardiac arrest victim.

9. The device of claim 7 , further comprising a means of determining the distance between the anterior segment of the frame and the posterior segment of the frame upon input from a CPR provider that the anterior segment of the frame and the posterior segment of the frame are in contact with the cardiac arrest victim, wherein the control system is operable to determine the size of the cardiac arrest victim based on the distance between the anterior segment of the frame and the posterior segment of the frame, and provide feedback regarding the performance of chest compressions based on the determined size of the cardiac arrest victim.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein an interior surface of the anterior segment and an interior surface of the posterior segment is adhesive, and adapted to adhere to the thorax of the cardiac arrest victim.

11. A device for measuring depth, velocity or rate of CPR chest compressions performed on the thorax of a cardiac arrest victim, where the thorax is characterized by a chest wall, a back and a thickness, said device comprising:

a frame sized and dimensioned to fit at least partially around the thorax of the cardiac arrest victim, said frame having an anterior segment and a posterior segment, the anterior segment and the posterior segment joined by an arcuate segment to form said frame, wherein said frame is resiliently biased to an open configuration as large or larger than the thickness of the victim's thorax;

a magnetic sensor capable of producing a signal corresponding to motion of the chest wall during compressions, said magnetic sensor disposed one of the anterior segment or posterior of the frame;

a magnetic field generator disposed in or on the other of the anterior segment or posterior of the frame; and

a control system operable to receive the signal corresponding to motion of the chest wall and determine the depth of chest compressions therefrom.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein said frame is U-shaped, and the anterior sensor is disposed proximate the tip of the anterior segment and the posterior sensor is disposed proximate the tip of the posterior segment.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the magnetic sensor comprises a velocity sensor capable of producing velocity signals corresponding to the velocity of the chest and the velocity of the back; and

the control system is operable to integrate the signal corresponding to the velocity of the chest to determine the depth of chest compression performed on the victim.

14. The device of claim 11 , further comprising means for providing feedback to a CPR provider, wherein the control system is further operable to report the determined depth of compression through the means for providing feedback to a CPR provider.

15. The device of claim 11 , wherein the control system is further operable to compare the measured depth of compression to a desired depth of compression and report to a CPR provider whether the achieved depth of compression meets or fails to meet the desired depth.

16. The device of claim 15 , further comprising a means of determining the distance between the anterior segment of the frame and the chest wall, wherein the control system is operable to determine the size of the cardiac arrest victim based on the distance between the anterior segment of the frame and the chest wall and provide feedback regarding the performance of chest compressions based on the determined size of the cardiac arrest victim.

17. The device of claim 15 , further comprising a means of determining the distance between the anterior segment of the frame and the posterior segment of the frame upon input from a CPR provider that the anterior segment of the frame and the posterior segment of the frame are in contact with the cardiac arrest victim, wherein the control system is operable to determine the size of the cardiac arrest victim based on the distance between the anterior segment of the frame and the posterior segment of the frame, and provide feedback regarding the performance of chest compressions based on the determined size of the cardiac arrest victim.

18. The device of claim 11 wherein an interior surface of the anterior segment and an interior surface of the posterior segment is adhesive, and adapted to adhere to the thorax of the cardiac arrest victim.