Defibrillating device equipped with a plurality of connector/electrode assemblies of different types

Defibrillating device equipped with a plurality of connector/electrodes assemblies of different types. Defibrillating device equipped with a plurality of connector/electrodes assemblies of different types, having each at least a connector cable and adapted to be plugged in, in a removable and interchangeable manner, to the casing of the device at a single connection site equipped with a fixed complimentary connector, all of the control (13, 13') and, preferably, adjustment devices (17) of the functioning of the defibrillating device (1) being mounted on the connector (8)/electrodes (9, 9') assemblies, each type of which is intended for a class of authorized user and/or specific application(s), the casing (2) of the defibrillating device (1) having only indicator and/or display devices (2'), and preferably, no control or adjustment device.

The present invention relates to devices for the treatment of cardiac 
dysfunctions, notably in the reanimation field, and has for its object a 
defibrillating device equipped with a plurality of different types of 
connector/electrode assemblies. 
There already exists a certain number of defibrillators, constituted by a 
casing containing the different functional modules for the charging of the 
capacitor, for control and, if the need arises, for analysis, different 
connector/electrodes assemblies, each comprising at least one connecting 
cable, and being able to be plugged into, in a removable and 
interchangeable manner, the casing of said device at a single connecting 
site equipped with a specially adapted complimentary fixed adapter. 
Among these electrodes, one finds, on the one hand, external use electrodes 
such as paddle electrodes or large adhesive electrodes and, on the other 
hand, internal use surgical electrodes, in the shape of spoons, to be 
applied directly to the heart. 
Currently, the control of these defibrillating devices is effectuated by 
means of buttons or control keys disposed on the casing of the device, 
except for the paddle electrodes whose triggering buttons are disposed on 
the electrodes themselves. 
Moreover, an energy selector, allowing the user to determine the level of 
the charge, as a function of the type of electrodes and in the judgment of 
the practitioner, is also generally provided on the casing of said device. 
Additionally, said defibrillating devices can function either in manual 
mode (determination of the level of energy and triggering of the charge by 
action from the user), or in semi-automatic mode (determination of energy, 
triggering of the charge, and authorization of triggering of the 
defibrillation controlled by the device itself), this as a function of the 
level of qualification of the user, and necessitating, from this fact, a 
mode switch, often integrated in the energy selector in the form of a 
supplementary switching position of said selector, corresponding to said 
semi-automatic mode. 
However, it is necessary to be able to interdict a utilization with manual 
control and adjustment of the defibrillation devices, notably in the 
hospital environment, for persons insuffiently qualified, not trained, or 
for persons only used to semi-automatic use, from a lack of practice or 
instruction. 
To attempt to establish a selective utilization of said defibrillating 
devices, it has been proposed to equip these latter with locks or 
authorization codes to access the control and manual adjustment mode. 
However, these solutions can be impossible to implement because of the 
singular nature of the key of the lock, or because of the limited number 
of people who can use a given defibrillating device, not allowing a 
qualified person, not knowing the code or not having the above-cited key, 
to use any defibrillating device in manual mode. 
Moreover, the mode of functioning and the energy adjustment possibilities 
as a function of the connected electrodes do not always appear clearly and 
in a readily apparent manner on the casing of the defibrillating device 
and, given the plurality of the adjustment and control devices present, as 
well as their dispersed placement or placement in the casing of the 
device, can lead to delays or harmful loss of time. 
An object of the present invention is to overcome all of the above-cited 
disadvantages. 
To this end, it has for its object a defibrillating device equipped with a 
plurality of connector/electrodes assemblies of different types, each 
comprising at least one connecting cable and said assemblies being able to 
be plugged into, in a moveable and interchangeable manner, the casing of 
said device at a single connecting site provided with a specially adapted 
complimentary fixed connector, characterized in that the control and 
preferably the adjustment of functioning devices of said defibrillating 
device are mounted on the connector/electrodes assemblies, each type of 
which is assigned a type of authorized users and/or specific 
application(s), the casing of the defibrillating device only comprising 
signaling and/or display devices, and preferably, no control or adjustment 
device.

According to the invention, as shown in the attached FIGS. 1-7, the 
defibrillating device 1 is implemented in such a manner that all the means 
for control 13, 13', 18, 21 and, preferably, for adjustment 17 of 
functioning devices of said defibrillating device 1 are mounted on the 
connector 8/electrodes 9, 9' assemblies, each type of which is assigned to 
a type of authorized user and/or to specific application(s), the casing 2 
of the defibrillating device 1 comprising only signaling and/or display 
devices 2', and preferably, no control or adjustment devices. 
Each type of connector 8/electrodes 9, 9' assemblies being intended for a 
well defined application and treatment, it is advantageous that the 
defibrillating device 1 presents as many different modes of functioning, 
of adjustment and/or semi-automatic, or manual control, as there are 
different types of connector 8/electrodes 9, 9' assemblies, the 
appropriate mode of functioning being automatically selected upon plugging 
in the connector 8 of the connector 8/electrodes 9, 9' assembly in 
question in the fixed connector 7 of the casing 2 of the defibrillating 
device 1. 
In this manner, as soon as the connector 8/electrodes 9, 9' assembly is put 
in place by plugging in to the fixed connector 7 (whose placement or the 
region around the casing can have an indexed configuration complimentary 
to that of the casing 10 of the connector 8 in such a manner as to 
facilitate the speedy and correct assembly of said connectors 7 and 8), 
the computer unit controlling the defibrillating device can select and 
follow the preprogrammed operative protocol adapted to the type of 
connector 8/electrodes 9, 9' assembly plugged in, and thus to the 
envisaged application, and to the type of user manipulating said 
defibrillating device. 
As FIGS. 4, 6 and 8 of the attached drawings show, each connector 8 
comprises a means for its recognition from the casing 2 of the 
defibrillating device 1 upon its plugging in, specific to the type of 
connector 8/electrodes 9, 9' assembly to which it belongs, said 
recognizing means consisting of a definition of the state of at least one 
connection point 11 of said connector 8, advantageously during the period 
of plugging in this latter in the casing 2 of the defibrillator device 1. 
According to a characteristic of the invention, represented in part in 
FIGS. 4, 6 and 8 of the attached drawings, the recognizing means 
advantageously consist of a logical coding by fixing the states of 
specific connection points 11 of the connector 8, each binary code thus 
obtained identifying in a unique manner each type of connector 
8/electrodes 9, 9' assembly and indicating automatically to the 
defibrillating device 1, on the one hand, the occurrence of a plugging in 
of an authorized connector 8/electrodes 9, 9' assembly and, on the other 
hand, the type of assembly plugged in and the corresponding mode of 
functioning. 
In this manner, the presence of four connection points 11 allows to 
individually define, by connecting three connection points 11, and leaving 
unconnected a fourth connection point 11, each of the four types of 
assembly to be plugged in by the generation of the codes 1000, 0100, 0010, 
and 0001. 
Moreover, the code 1111 could be interpreted as indicating the absence of 
connection of all connector/electrode assemblies, and cause the 
defibrillating device 1 to be put in a ready state, all codes other than 
those mentioned above would correspond to an abnormal state, to a faulty 
connection, or to some malfunction and will, as soon as it is identified, 
result in the triggering of an alarm signal. 
As FIGS. 4, 6 and 8 of the attached drawings also show, each connector 
8/electrodes 9, 9' assembly comprises at least an indicator 12 signaling 
the end of the charging phase and the authorization to discharge and two 
buttons 13, 13' or control keys connected to each other, for example by 
series connection, allowing the triggering of the defibrillation discharge 
by simultaneously depressing these latter. 
According to a first variant of the embodiment of the invention, 
represented in FIGS. 3A, 3B and 4 of the attached drawings, the assemblies 
of connector 8/electrodes 9, 9' comprise, within the framework of 
implementation of the electrodes 9, 9' of the internal or adhesive type, a 
connecting cable in two portions, 14 and 14', connectable to each other in 
a removable manner by a connecting device constituted by a male connector 
15/female connector 15' pair specific to the type of electrodes 9, 9' to 
connect to the connector 8, the casing 10 enclosing this latter comprising 
at least a discharge authorization indicator 12 and two buttons 13, 13' or 
keys connected, for example, in series, controlling the defibrillation 
discharge. 
This setup allows to separate the part of the assembly comprising the 
electrodes 9, 9' from the part comprising the connector 8, permitting in 
this manner a sterilization treatment or single use of said electrodes 9, 
9' intended to be in contact with body of the patient. 
When a person qualified and practiced in carrying out the defibrillation 
with manual control and adjustment wants to carry out a defibrillation 
with the internal or adhesive electrodes 9, 9', he or she will be able to 
implement a connector 8/electrodes 9, 9' assembly of the type described 
above and whose casing 10 of the connector 8 comprises an energy selector 
17 variable stepwise, the triggering of the charge of the defibrillating 
device 1 being controlled by pressure on one of the two buttons 13, 13' or 
keys coupled between themselves (see FIGS. 3A, 3B and 4). 
The structure and the electrical configuration of the connectors 8 used in 
association with the internal or adhesive electrodes 9, 9' are identical, 
as an analysis of FIG. 4 reveals and a comparison, between themselves, of 
FIGS. 3A and 3B, the only difference residing in the terracing of the 
energy levels of the charge, as well as in the maximum available values. 
Indeed, for a connector 8 intended to be coupled with internal electrodes 
9, 9', the maximum authorized, and thus selectable energy (generally 50 
Joules), will be clearly less than that authorized to be selected and 
delivered by the connector 8 associated with the large adhesive electrodes 
9, 9' intended to be placed on the skin of a patient (generally 360 
Joules). 
Providing the specific connectors 15, 15', on the one hand, to the 
assemblies of internal connector 8/electrodes 9, 9' and, on the other 
hand, to the assemblies of adhesive connector 8/electrodes 9, 9' avoids 
all reversals at the moment of associating the connector 8 with the 
electrodes 9, 9' of the corresponding type. 
To carry out defibrillation operations, particularly with the adhesive 
electrodes 9, 9', by unqualified personnel or those not possessing the 
training or the experience necessary for an entirely manual operation, it 
is possible to provide, as FIGS. 5 and 6 of the attached drawings 
particularly show, connector 8/electrodes 9, 9' assemblies constituted by 
two parts assembled in a removable manner as previously indicated 
(specific connectors 15, 15'--connecting cable in two parts), but whose 
casing 10 of the connector 8 no longer comprises the energy selector 17 
and comprises, in replacement, a button or an automatic triggering key for 
an electrocardiogram plot, from the defibrillation electrodes 9, 9' 
previously attached to the patient, associated with a measurement and 
analysis phase signalization indicator 19. 
Said electrocardiogram is analyzed by said defibrillating device 1 which, 
depending on the results, authorizes or not the carrying out of the 
defibrillation, by triggering, preferably automatically, the charging 
operation, and determines, in association if desired with additional data 
(weight of the patient, age of the patient or standard protocols or 
recommendations, etc.) furnished to said device 1, the value of the charge 
or the values of successive charges. 
According to a second embodiment of the invention, represented in FIGS. 7 
and 8 of the attached drawings and described within the framework of the 
assemblies of connector 8/electrodes 9, 9' comprising paddle electrodes, 
it is intended that the casings of these latter additionally comprise a 
discharge authorization indicator 12 and two keys or buttons 13, 13' 
acting independently for the control of the charging and being connected 
together for controlling the discharge, an energy selector 17 variable 
stepwise, and a key or triggering button 21 of an electrocardiogram plot 
mounted on one or the other of said casings 20, 20' of the electrodes 9, 
9'. 
However, as a variation, the energy selector may also be mounted on the 
casing of the connector 8 (see phantom lines in FIG. 7). 
Thanks to the invention, it is therefore possible to effect a separation 
between people qualified in manual mode defibrillations and people 
authorized to carry out only defibrillations in semi-automatic mode, by 
allocating one or many of the connector 8/electrodes 9, 9' assemblies to 
each person susceptible to carry out a defibrillation. Moreover, each 
connector/electrodes assembly is clearly identifiable by its appearance 
and its control and/or adjustment devices with which it is equipped, this 
identification also being optionally facilitated by the choice of a 
specific color for each assembly. Additionally, the location of the 
control and/or adjustment devices on the connector/electrode assemblies 
allows the user to permanently work in an identical control and adjustment 
context and to be able to use any defibrillating device, even possibly 
other types, having the corresponding fixed connector and the associated 
functioning mode, wherever said device is implemented. 
It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiment 
described and represented in the attached drawings. Modifications remain 
possible, notably with respect to the configuration of the various 
elements, or by substitution of equivalent techniques, without thereby 
departing from the scope of protection of the invention.