Electrode for a living body

Abstract: An electrode for a living body comprises a main body (2) and a lead (3) each consisting of a flexible sheet of graphite and the whole of the electrode is substantially transparent to X-rays so that the electrode is not a hin­ drance to X-ray inspection.

Description: This invention relates to an electrode for a living body which is suitable for a defibrillator, an electrocardiograph, or the like. In the process of a cardiac catheterization, a catheter is inserted into a blood vessel of a patient to inject a contrast media for X-ray inspection. There is, however, the case that the patient's heart is convulsed for more than 15 to 30 seconds due to an excitation in the middle of the inspection. If the convulsion of the heart continues for a long time, it causes damage to brain cells through interruptions of blood flow. Accordingly, when such a convulsion of the heart arises, in general, a high-voltage shock of 3000 to 5000 volts is given to the heart with a defibrillator. Such a conventional defibrillator has generally a box-shaped body provided with a handle at the upper surface of the body. The defibrillator is provided with electrodes at the lower surface of the body. The electrodes are to be brought into contact with a patient's body at the portion over his heart to give an electric shock to the heart. Such a conventional defibrillator is, however, very troublesome because it must be brought out to be used whenever the patient's heart is convulsed. Especially, there is the possibility that it is not in time for the case of emergency. Besides, on several occasions, the electrodes of an electrocardiograph must be attached to the surface of a patient's body for getting electrocardiograms at the time of an X-ray inspection. But, because the electrodes of such an electrocardiograph are conventionally made of metal and they are not transparent in regard to X rays, they are hindrances to X-ray photographing. X-ray transparent electrodes are known from US-A-4 442 315, these being in laminate form. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electrode for a living body which is substantially transparent to X rays so as not to hinder any X-ray inspection. Advantageously, the eletrode can serve both as electrodes of an electrocardiograph and a defibrillator. According to the present invention there is provided an electrode for a living body comprising a main body which consists of a flexible sheet of graphite having a thickness in the range of 0.1 to 2.0 mm and a minimum permissible radius of curvature less than 50 mm, and a lead attached thereto, the electrode body being flexible and the whole of the electrode being substantially transparent to X-rays. The invention will be further described, by way of example with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an electrode of a defibrillator according to an embodiment of the invention; Figs. 2A and 2B are perspective views of electrodes with lead portions; Figs. 3A and 3B are a side view and a plan view showing a manner of use of the defibrillator; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view for illustrating the flexibility of a graphite sheet. Hereinafter, embodiments in which the present invention is applied to the electrodes of a defibrillator will be described with reference to attached drawings. Referring first to Figs. 3A and 3B, a defibrillator comprises a high-voltage source 1, a pair of electrode body (hereinafter, each merely called "electrode") 2, and leads 3 for connecting the electrodes to the high-voltage source. Each electrode 2 consists of a disk-like flexible sheet (see Figs. 2A and 2B) having area of about 50 cm² and the thickness of about 0.1 to 2 mm. The electrodes 2 are attached to a patient's body 4 from both of the breast side and the back side of his heart, respectively. As shown in Figs. 1, 3A and 3B, each electrode 2 is directly attached to the patient's skin with a proper adhesive and fixed with adhesive tapes or bands 5. As the present case, when the electrodes serve as that of a defibrillator, they must be fixed in an especially firm manner because they are apt to come off from the patient's body due to a high-voltage shock. Referring to Fig. 1, a ring-shaped sponge 7 is arranged around the electrode 2. A protective layer 8 is disposed on the upper surface of the electrode 2. As shown by imaginary lines in Fig. 1, a buffer 9 such as a sponge containting physiological sodium chloride solution may be interposed between the electrode 2 and a living body in order to improve the affinity with and the followability to the living body and the absorbability of a high-voltage shock. Each electrode 2 is made of a crystalline flexible sheet of graphite obtained by treating natural graphite particles with concentrated sulfuric acid of 98%. For example, it can be made of Grafoil (Registered trade name) available by Union Carbide Corp. The thickness t of the electrode 2 preferably falls within the range of 0.1 of 2 mm more preferably within the range of 0.2 to 1 mm. If the thickness t is less than 0.1 mm, the mechanical strength of the electrode decreases, while, if the thickness t is more than 2 mm, the flexibility of the electrode decreases. As shown in Fig. 4, the flexibility of a graphite sheet 6 to be used as an electrode can be represented by the permissible minimum radius R of curvature when the sheet is bent. In the present device, the radius R is preferably less than 100 mm, more preferably less than 50 mm. If the radius R is more than 100 mm, the flexibility required can not be obtained so the followability to a living body lowers and the manner of contact with the living body becomes bad. As the result, the electrode become easy to come off from the living body by a high-voltage shock or the like. In addition, particularly in the case of the electrodes of a defibrillator, since a high voltage (3000 to 5000 volts) is applied to and a large current flows through them, the electrical resistance of each electrode is preferably less than 1.0 ohm. If the resistance is too large, the electrode may cause a burn on a living body due to the generation of heat. Each lead 3 of the defibrillator may be made of a graphite sheet such as Grafoil, similarly to the electrode 2. Figs. 2A and 2B show examples that the lead 3 is made of Grafoil. In the example shown in Fig. 2B, the electrode 2 and lead 3 are integral, that is they are formed from a single sheet of graphite. Grafoil can be easily formed into any shape by punching or the like so it is superior in mass productivity. In addition, Grafoil can make the contact resistance between the lead and the electrode decrease to a value which may be disregarded. The electrode 2 and the lead 3 can be bonded to each other with an electroconductive adhesive that powder of carbon black is mixed in a thermosetting resin. The thermosetting resin usable is, for example, phenolic resin, epoxy resin, etc. The content of carbon black is preferably 30 to 90wt. %. If the content of carbon black is too little, the electrical conductivity required can not be obtained, while, if the content is too much, the adhesive strength decreases. Agso an electroconductive adhesive that powder of carbon black is mixed in a rubber adhesive can be used. In that case, either of a natural rubber adhesive or a synthetic rubber adhesive can be used. The content of carbon black is preferably 30 to 90 wt.% from the same reason as described above. An electroconductive adhesive of this type can make the connecting portion between the electrode and the lead flexible though the adhesive strength may decrease. Alternatively, the following method can be employed for connecting the electrode 2 and the lead 3 to each other. That is, after the electrode 2 and the lead 3 are connected to each other with an adhesive that powder of carbon black is mixed in a thermosetting resin, the connecting portion is calcined and carbonized under a reduced pressure or in an inert atmosphere at a temperature not less than 1000°C. By this method, the electrical resistance of the connecting portion decreases to a value which may be disregarded. The thermosetting resin usable for this method is, for example, phenolic resin, epoxy resin, etc. The content of carbon black is preferably less than 90 wt. %. If the content of carbon black is too much, the adhesive strength decreases. In the above-mentioned configuration, both of the electrodes 2 and the leads 3 are substantially transparent in regard to X rays. Therefore, they are not hindrances to X-ray photographing. As the result, the electrode can be attached to a patient's body through an X-ray inspection. In the present device, also a lead made of carbon fibers can be used. In that case, however, the connecting manner of the lead to an electrode may become difficult. In addition, there are disadvantages that the electrical resistance increases and the lead becomes bulky. The above-mentioned lead 3 of Grafoil can solve all of those problems. In the above-mentioned embodiments, the present invention is applied to the electrodes of a defibrillator. The present invention, however, can be applied also to the electrodes of an electrocardiograph. In addition, an electrode of the present invention can serve both as electrode of a defibrillator and an electrocardiograph. Furthermore, the present invention can be applied to various electrodes such as that of a electroencephalograph and so on. In the present invention, the main body of an electrode consists of a flexible sheet of graphite and the whole of the electrode is substantially transparent in regard to X rays. Therefore, the electrode is not a hindrance to X-ray photographing. As the result, it can be applied to the electrodes of an electrocardiograph or a defibrillator attached to a living body through an X-ray inspection. In addition, in the present invention since the surface of an electrode to contact with a living body is made flexible, the followability to the living body is superior so the electrode is hard to come off from the living body even when it is used as an electrode of a defibrillator.

Claims: An electrode for a living body comprising a main body (2) which consists of a flexible sheet of graphite having a thickness in the range of 0.1 to 2.0 mm and a minimum permissible radius of curvature less than 50 mm, and a lead attached thereto, the electrode body being flexible and the whole of the electrode being substantially transparent to X-rays. An electrode according to claim 1, in which a lead (3) for connecting the main body (2) of the electrode to an external electric source comprises a flexible sheet of graphite having a thickness in the range of 0.1 to 2.0 mm and a minimum permissible radius of curvature less than 50 mm. An electrode according to claim 2, in which the lead (3) is bonded to the main body (2) of the electrode with an electroconductive adhesive comprising fine particles of carbon in a thermosetting resin or a rubber adhesive. An electrode according to claim 2, in which the connecting portion between the lead (3) and the main body (2) of the electrode is burned after they are bonded to each other with an electroconductive adhesive comprising fine particles of carbon in a thermosetting resin. An electrode according to claim 2, in which the main body (2) of the electrode and the lead (3) are integral.

Inventors: ABE HIKONORI, NISHIYAMA SHINICHI, SHIGETA MASATOMO, ABE, HIKONORI, NISHIYAMA, SHINICHI, SHIGETA, MASATOMO
Applicants: KUREHA CHEMICAL IND CO LTD, KUREHA KAGAKU KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1986
Main classification: A61N1
IPC codes: A61N1, A61B5