Physio-Control, Inc.

Peter D Gadsby

David S Paeth

Thomas D Lyster

Robert A Niskanen

Stephen W Gross

Disclosed is an electrode (10, 60) for placement upon the skin of a patient (12) to deliver electrical pulses from medical electronic equipment (16) to the patient. The electrode includes (10, 60) an electrically conductive layer (24, 74) having a skin-facing side and an upper side. An impedance-decreasing layer (32, 82) is adjacent a substantial portion of the skin-facing side of the conductive layer (24, 74). A substantially electrically nonconductive backing layer (18, 68) is adjacent the upper surface of the conductive layer (24, 74), the backing layer (18, 68) being substantially impermeable to the impedance-decreasing layer (32, 82). A gas-permeable layer (20, 70) is between the backing layer (18, 68) and the conductive layer (24, 74). Finally, a vent (22, 72) is provided for venting gas formed between the impedance-decreasing layer (32, 82) and the conductive layer (24, 74) to the environment.

Vented electrode

Disclosed is an electrode strip (100) for use in electrocardiography comprising a flexible and substantially inextendible substrate (104), a plurality of conductors (114) that extend along the substrate to form a plurality of electrode sites (V.sub.1 -V.sub.6, RA, LA, LL, RL), and a cover layer(122) that insulates the conductors. A plurality of regions of extensibility (102) in the strip allow selective positioning of the electrode sites on a body.

Multiple electrode strip

Disclosed is a combined skin preparation and monitoring electrode (12). The electrode reduces motion artifacts in recording biopotentials by penetrating a patient's skin prior to acquiring biopotentials. Penetration of the skin reduces skin impedance and the skin's propensity to generate motion artifacts. The electrode has a resilient dome (16) with penetration tines (18) extending from the concave inner surface of the dome. Upon application of a force to the dome, the dome moves from a first position to a second position, forcing the penetration tines into a patient's skin. Upon removal of the force, the dome moves back to its original configuration, withdrawing the penetration tines from the patient's skin.

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Duvall, WA, United States of America

Peter D Gadsby