EXTENDED WEAR ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHY PATCH
An extended wear electrocardiography patch is provided. A flexible backing is formed of an elongated strip of stretchable material. A circuit is affixed to an outward-facing surface of the flexible backing and includes a pair of circuit traces each originating with one of the ends of the elongated strip. A pair of electrocardiographic electrodes are each electrically coupled to one of the circuit traces and conductively exposed on a contact surface of each end of the elongated strip through an opening. When the flexible backing is at rest, the electrodes are approximately centered over their respective openings on a patient's skin and during bending of the flexible backing, the electrodes slide over at least a portion of the flexible backing while maintaining electrical contact between the electrodes and the patient's skin.
1 . An extended wear electrocardiography patch, comprising:
a flexible backing formed of an elongated strip of stretchable material;
a circuit affixed to an outward-facing surface of the flexible backing and comprising a pair of circuit traces each originating with one of the ends of the elongated strip;
a pair of electrocardiographic electrodes, each electrode electrically coupled to one of the circuit traces and conductively exposed on a contact surface of each end of the elongated strip through an opening, wherein the electrodes are approximately centered over their respective openings on a patient's skin when the flexible backing is at rest and during bending of the flexible backing, the electrodes slide over at least a portion of the flexible backing while maintaining electrical contact between the electrodes and the patient's skin.
2 . An electrocardiography patch according to claim 1 , further comprising:
hydrocolloid adhesive coating at least a portion of the contact surface of the flexible backing between the flexible backing and the patient's skin.
3 . An electrocardiography patch according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible backing comprises a porous material.
4 . An electrocardiography patch according to claim 3 , wherein the porous material comprises spunlace fabric.
5 . An electrocardiography patch according to claim 3 , wherein the porous material reduces an amount of moisture trapped by the flexible backing.
6 . An electrocardiography patch according to claim 1 , further comprising:
hydrogel placed in each of the openings of the flexible backing between the electrode in that opening and the patient's skin.
7 . An electrocardiography patch according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a receptacle affixed on one end of the flexible backing on the outward-facing surface and operable to removably receive a electrocardiography monitor.
8 . An electrocardiography patch according to claim 7 , wherein the receptacle comprises electrode terminals aligned to electrically interface the pair of circuit traces to the electrocardiography monitor.
9 . An electrocardiography patch according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a battery compartment provided in the receptacle and comprising a pair of battery leads electrically coupleable to a battery; and
the receptacle further comprising power terminals aligned to electrically interface the pair of battery leads to the electrocardiography monitor.
10 . An electrocardiography patch according to claim 1 , further comprising:
one of the electrocardiographic electrodes being disposed for being adhered to a region overlying the Xiphoid process on a patient's chest; and
an other of the electrocardiographic electrodes being disposed for being adhered to the region near the manubrium on the patient's chest oriented centrally (in the midline) along the sternum upwards from the one electrocardiographic electrode.
11 . An electrocardiography patch according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a monitor recorder, comprising:
an externally-powered micro-controller operable to execute under micro programmable control through firmware that is stored in a program memory unit of the micro-controller; and
an electrocardiographic front end circuit electrically interfaced to the micro-controller and operable to sense electrocardiographic signals through the electrodes.
12 . An electrocardiography and physiological sensor monitor, comprising:
an electrocardiography patch, comprising:
a flexible backing formed of an elongated strip of stretchable material;
a circuit affixed to an outward-facing surface of the flexible backing and comprising a pair of circuit traces each originating with one of the ends of the elongated strip;
a pair of electrocardiographic electrodes, each electrode electrically coupled to one of the circuit traces and conductively exposed on a contact surface of each end of the elongated strip through an opening, wherein the electrodes are approximately centered over their respective openings on a patient's skin when the electrocardiography patch is at rest and during bending of the electrocardiography patch, the electrodes slide over at least a portion of the flexible backing while maintaining electrical contact between the electrodes and the patient's skin; and
a monitor recorder, comprising:
an externally-powered micro-controller operable to execute under micro programmable control through firmware that is stored in a program memory unit of the micro-controller; and
an electrocardiographic front end circuit electrically interfaced to the micro-controller and operable to sense electrocardiographic signals through the electrodes provided on the electrocardiography patch.
13 . An electrocardiography and physiological sensor monitor according to claim 12 , further comprising:
hydrocolloid adhesive coating at least a portion of the contact surface of the flexible backing between the flexible backing and the patient's skin.
14 . An electrocardiography and physiological sensor monitor according to claim 12 , wherein the flexible backing comprises a porous material.
15 . An electrocardiography and physiological sensor monitor according to claim 14 , wherein the porous material comprises spunlace fabric.
16 . An electrocardiography and physiological sensor monitor according to claim 14 , wherein the porous material reduces an amount of moisture trapped by the electrocardiography patch.
17 . An electrocardiography and physiological sensor monitor according to claim 12 , further comprising:
hydrogel placed in each of the openings of the flexible backing between the electrode in that opening and the patient's skin.
18 . An electrocardiography and physiological sensor monitor according to claim 12 , further comprising:
a receptacle affixed on one end of the flexible backing on the outward-facing surface and operable to removably receive the monitor.
19 . An electrocardiography and physiological sensor monitor according to claim 18 , wherein the receptacle comprises electrode terminals aligned to electrically interface the pair of circuit traces to the electrocardiography monitor.
20 . An electrocardiography and physiological sensor monitor according to claim 18 , further comprising:
a battery compartment provided in the receptacle and comprising a pair of battery leads electrically coupleable to a battery; and
the receptacle further comprising power terminals aligned to electrically interface the pair of battery leads to the electrocardiography monitor.
21 . An electrocardiography and physiological sensor monitor according to claim 12 , further comprising:
one of the electrocardiographic electrodes being disposed for being adhered to a region overlying the Xiphoid process on a patient's chest; and
an other of the electrocardiographic electrodes being disposed for being adhered to the region near the manubrium on the patient's chest oriented centrally (in the midline) along the sternum upwards from the one electrocardiographic electrode.