Integrated resuscitation
A resuscitation system that includes at least two defibrillation electrodes configured to be applied to the exterior of the chest of a patient for delivering a defibrillation shock, a source of one or more ECG signals from the patient, a defibrillation circuit for delivering a defibrillation shock to the defibrillation electrodes, a control box that receives and processes the ECG signals to determine whether a defibrillation shock should be delivered or whether CPR should be performed, and that issues instructions to the user either to deliver a defibrillation shock or to perform CPR, wherein the determination of whether CPR should be performed and the instructions to perform CPR can occur at substantially any point during a rescue.
1. An electrode assembly for use with a defibrillator, the electrode assembly comprising:
a single electrode assembly pad configured to be applied to the chest of a patient and configured to electrically couple with a defibrillator configured to provide instructions for positioning the single electrode assembly pad on the patient, the single electrode assembly pad comprising:
an accelerometer disposed in a first area of the single electrode assembly pad;
a high-voltage apex defibrillation electrode disposed in a second area of the single electrode assembly pad;
a high-voltage sternum defibrillation electrode disposed in a third area of the single electrode assembly pad;
indicia on an exposed surface of the single electrode assembly pad, the indicia comprising:
first indicia indicative of an alignment of the single electrode assembly pad with one or more anatomical features of the chest of a patient;
second indicia comprising a graphical representation indicative of a usage procedure for the electrode assembly, and
third indicia configured to indicate a location on the single electrode assembly pad for performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) chest compressions.
2. The electrode assembly of claim 1 wherein the first indicia comprise an indication of a location of the high-voltage sternum defibrillation electrode and the high-voltage apex defibrillation electrode relative to the collarbones of the patient when the high-voltage sternum defibrillation electrode and the high-voltage apex defibrillation electrode are positioned on the chest of the patient.
3. The electrode assembly of claim 2 wherein the first indicia further comprise an indication of a location of the high-voltage sternum defibrillation electrode and the high-voltage apex defibrillation electrode relative to the chest centerline of the patient when the high-voltage sternum defibrillation electrode and the high-voltage apex defibrillation electrode are positioned on the chest of the patient.
4. The electrode assembly of claim 1 wherein the first indicia comprise an indication of a location of the high-voltage sternum defibrillation electrode and the high-voltage apex defibrillation electrode relative to the chest centerline of the patient when the high-voltage sternum defibrillation electrode and the high-voltage apex defibrillation electrode are positioned on the chest of the patient.
5. The electrode assembly of claim 1 wherein the second indicia are disposed on at least the second area of the single electrode assembly pad and are configured to assist a user in providing resuscitative care for the patient with the electrode assembly.
6. The electrode assembly of claim 1 wherein the accelerometer is configured to electrically couple with the defibrillator configured to provide the instructions for positioning the single electrode assembly pad on the patient.
7. The electrode assembly of claim 6 wherein the accelerometer is configured to provide signals indicative of acceleration to a microprocessor of the defibrillator configured to provide instructions for positioning the single electrode assembly pad on the patient, wherein the microprocessor is configured to integrate acceleration measurements to determine a chest compression depth.
8. The electrode assembly of claim 1 wherein the exposed surface is an electrode assembly surface visible to a user during defibrillation.
9. The electrode assembly of claim 1 wherein the third indicia comprise an “X.”
10. The electrode assembly of claim 1 wherein the instructions comprise graphic instructions.
11. The electrode assembly of claim 10 wherein the graphic instructions indicate a placement of the electrode assembly relative to the one or more anatomical features on the chest of the patient.
12. The electrode assembly of claim 1 wherein the instructions comprise audible instructions.