Abstract:
An electrode-pad storage package includes an interior for storing one or more electrode pads and a window that provides a view into the interior. Because it has a window, the package often reduces the time it takes for an operator to attach the electrode pad or pads to a patient. For example, such a see-through package often saves precious seconds by allowing the operator to view the instructions on a defibrillator electrode pad or pads, and thus determine which electrode pad goes where, before opening the package. Such a package may also save time by allowing the operator to determine the pad type, and thus determine whether the electrode pad or pads are appropriate for the patient, before opening the package. In this latter case, the package may also prevent the operator from unnecessarily opening, and thus wasting, a package containing an inappropriate electrode pad or pads.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates generally to electrode pads, and more particularly to a see-through package for storing an electrode pad of a medical device such as an automatic or semi-automatic external defibrillator (AED). In one embodiment of the invention, at least a portion of the package is see-through so that one can view the electrode pad, or instructions printed on the pad, before opening the package. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     AEDs have saved many lives in non-hospital settings, and, as a result of advances in AED technology, the number of lives saved per year is rising. Typically, an AED analyzes a patient&#39;s heart rhythm and instructs an operator to administer an electrical shock to the patient if appropriate. For example, a shock can often revive a patient who is experiencing ventricular fibrillation (VF). Because older models of AEDs include only basic diagnostic and safety features, they are often difficult to operate. Therefore, only specially trained persons such as emergency medical technicians (EMTs) can use these older models to administer shocks to a patient. Newer models, however, often include advanced diagnostic and safety features that allow minimally trained persons to administer shocks to patients. Consequently, more people are using AEDs to save lives. 
     Because a heart rhythm that responds to an electrical shock can cause permanent damage or death within a short time if left untreated, an AED operator should be able to set up and use an AED to shock a patient within seconds after the operator arrives at the scene. Statistically, for each minute that a person is in cardiac arrest and is not receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), his/her chance of survival decreases by 10%. And in most cases, there is no chance for resuscitation after 10 minutes. Unfortunately, many people do not know how to administer CPR. And, even in the best of circumstances, it can take a few minutes to retrieve the AED and a few additional minutes for the AED to diagnose and shock the patient. Therefore, even if the patient is discovered immediately, the operator often has little time to remove the defibrillator electrode pads from their package, attach the pads to the patient, connect the pads to the AED, and activate the AED without further decreasing the patient&#39;s chance of survival. Clearly, the faster the operator can set up and activate the AED, the better the chances that the patient will survive. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional defibrillator-electrode-pad storage system  10 , which includes a package  12  and two defibrillator electrode pads  14   a  and  14   b  (shown in phantom line) stored within an interior  16  of the package  12 . Electrode-pad leads  18   a  and  18   b , which electrically connect the electrode pads  14   a  and  14   b  to an AED (not shown in FIG.  1 ), extend from a sealed opening  20  in the package  12 , although the leads  18   a  and  18   b  may be stored entirely within the package  12 . 
     FIGS. 2A and 2B are front and rear views, respectively, of the electrode pad  14   a  of FIG. 1, it being understood that the front and rear views of the electrode pad  14   b  are similar. 
     Referring to FIG. 2A, the front of the defibrillator electrode pad  14   a  is typically nonconductive to insulate the AED operator (not shown in FIG. 2A) from defibrillation shocks, and typically has instructions that indicate where to attach the electrode pad  14   a  to the patient (not shown). For example, the front of the electrode pad  14   a  has an instruction picture  22   a , which illustrates the proper locations  24   a  and  24   b  for attachment of the two electrode pads  14   a  and  14   b  on a patient (not shown in FIG. 2A or  2 B). A dashed-line circle  26   a  and a bold arrow  28   a  indicate that the location  24   a  is the appropriate location for attaching the electrode pad  14   a  to the patient. Similarly, the front of the pad  14   b  (not shown in FIG. 2A) has a similar picture  22   b  with a dashed-line circle  26   b  around and an arrow  28   b  pointing to the location  24   b , which is the appropriate location for attaching the electrode pad  14   b  to the patient. Indicating which electrode pad  14   a  and  14   b  is attached at which location  24   a  and  24   b  reduces operator confusion, and thus decreases the time it takes the operator to attach the electrode pads to the patient. The pictures  22   a  and  22   b  and accompanying written instructions are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,598, to Bishay et al., which is incorporated by reference. 
     Referring to FIG. 2B, the rear of the defibrillator electrode pad  14   a  includes a conductive layer  30   a,  which is typically coated with a contact gel  32   a . The gel  32   a  provides electrical conduction between the patient and the conductive layer  30   a  and helps adhere the electrode pad  14   a  to the patient. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2B, the package  12  is typically formed from an opaque material that provides a moisture barrier sufficient to maintain the viability of the defibrillator electrode pads  14   a  and  14   b  for a predetermined period or longer. Typically, the electrode pads  14   a  and  14   b  are viable only while the contact gels  32   a  and  32   b  (not shown) maintain respective moisture levels that are at or above a predetermined threshold. Therefore, the manufacturer specifies that the package  12  will limit moisture loss from the package interior  16  to a rate sufficient for maintaining adequate moisture in the gels  32   a  and  32   b  for a predetermined period such as one year. Many of the best materials for providing such a moisture barrier, and thus for composing the package  12 , are opaque. 
     Unfortunately, referring to FIGS. 1-2B, an opaque package  12  often increases the time it takes an operator (not shown in FIGS. 1-2B) to attach the defibrillator electrode pads  14   a  and  14   b  to the patient (not shown), and thus often increases the time it takes the operator to set up the AED (not shown in FIGS. 1-2B) and shock the patient. The operator looks at the circles  26   a  and  26   b  (not shown in FIGS. 1-2B) to determine which electrode pad goes where. But because the package  12  is opaque, the operator cannot look at the circles  26   a  and  26   b  until after he/she removes the electrode pads  14   a  and  14   b  from the package. This increases the time it takes for the operator to determine which electrode pad goes where, and thus increases the time it takes for the operator to attach the electrode pads  14   a  and  14   b  to the patient. Furthermore, different electrode pads  14   a  and  14   b  are often recommended for different patients. For example, adult electrode pads  14   a  and  14   b  are recommended for adults, and pediatric electrode pads are recommended for children. Even though the pad type may be labeled on the outside of the package  12 , the operator may overlook this label in his/her haste to rescue the patient and not consider the type of the electrode pads  14   a  and  14   b  until after opening the package. Therefore, if the electrode pads  14   a  and  14   b  are inappropriate for the patient, then the operator must retrieve and open at least one more set of electrode pads, thus increasing the time it takes the operator to attach the appropriate electrode pads to the patient. In addition, because electrode pads that are removed from a package should be discarded whether or not they are used, pads that are removed from package and are then found to be inappropriate for the patient typically go unused, and are thus wasted. 
     Consequently, there is a need for a package that maintains the viability of electrode pads such as defibrillator electrode pads and yet facilitates an operator&#39;s understanding of the pad type and of which pad goes where. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A package is provided for storing one or more electrode pads. The package includes an interior for storing the electrode pad or pads and a window that provides a view into the interior. 
     Because it has a window, the package often reduces the time it takes for an operator to attach one or more electrode pads to a patient. For example, such a see-through package often saves precious seconds by allowing the operator to view the instructions on a defibrillator electrode pad or pads, and thus determine which electrode pad goes where, before opening the package. Such a package may also save time by allowing the operator to determine the pad type, and thus to determine whether the electrode pad or pads are appropriate for the patient, before opening the package. In this latter case, the package may also prevent the operator from unnecessarily opening, and thus wasting, a package containing one or more electrode pads that are inappropriate for the patient. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional defibrillator-electrode-pad storage system. 
     FIG. 2A is a front view of one of the defibrillator electrode pads of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 2B is a rear view of one of the defibrillator electrode pads of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3A is front view of a partially see-through defibrillator-electrode-pad storage system according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 3B is a rear view of the defibrillator-electrode-pad storage system of FIG. 3A according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 3C is a rear view of the defibrillator-electrode-pad storage system of FIG. 3A according to another embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 4A is a front view of a fully see-through defibrillator-electrode-pad storage system according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 4B is a rear view of the defibrillator-electrode-pad storage system of FIG. 4A according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 4C is a rear view of the defibrillator-electrode-pad storage system of FIG. 4A according to another embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an AED system that incorporates the defibrillator-electrode-pad storage system of FIGS. 3A-3C or the system of FIGS. 4A-4C according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an AED circuit that the AED of FIG. 5 incorporates according to an embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following discussion is presented to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. Various modifications to the preferred embodiment will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiment shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein. 
     FIGS. 3A and 3B are front and rear views, respectively, of a defibrillator-electrode-pad storage system  36 , which includes a pair of defibrillator electrode pads  14   a  and  14   b  and a package  38  having a front side  40 , an opaque rear side  42  having instructions  44 , and a translucent window  46  disposed in the front side  40  according to an embodiment of the invention. Here, “translucent” means that the window  46  need not be perfectly clear—although it can be—but only clear enough for one to see through. Furthermore, although the defibrillator-electrode-pad storage system  36  is discussed as including a pair of defibrillator electrode pads  14   a  and  14   b , the system  36  may include more or fewer electrode pads  14 . In addition, although the system  36  is discussed as part of an AED system (FIG.  5 ), the system  36  or a similar electrode-pad storage system can be used with other medical devices or systems such as a heart monitor (not shown). 
     The translucent window  46  allows an AED operator (not shown in FIG. 3A) to view the defibrillator electrode pad  14   a , instructions, or a label such as the picture  22   a  before he/she opens the package  38 . Thus, the operator can often attach the electrode pads  14   a  and  14   b  to a patient (not shown) more quickly because he/she can determine which electrode pad goes where before he/she opens the package  38 . The operator is also less likely to open the package  38 , and thus waste the electrode pads  14   a  and  14   b , if the electrode pads are inappropriate for the patient because he/she can determine the type of the electrode pads before he/she opens the package. 
     In addition to allowing the operator to view the defibrillator electrode pad  14   a , the package  38  provides a moisture barrier that maintains the viability of the electrode pads  14   a  and  14   b  for a predetermined period and that otherwise protects the electrode pads. The front and rear sides  40  and  42  of the package  38  are formed from a material or materials that provide a suitable moisture barrier. For example, an opaque portion  48  of the front side  40  and the opaque rear side  42  may be formed from a polypropylene- or polyethylene-coated metal film. The translucent window  46  may be formed from Topas®, which is produced by Ticona, Aclar®, which is produced by Honeywell, or partially metallic clear film like the anti-static film used to package static-sensitive semiconductor components. The front and rear sides  40  and  42  are sealed together along the edges  50  of the package  38 , and the window  46  and the opaque portion  48  are sealed together along or beyond the edge  52  of the window  46 . For example, the front  40  may be conventionally sealed to the rear  42  and the window  46  conventionally sealed to the opaque portion  48  with heat or with a moisture-barrier adhesive. A tear line  54  may be disposed in the front side  40 , the rear side  42 , or both the front and rear sides to facilitate opening of the package  38 . The tear line  54 , however, typically does not degrade the moisture-barrier capabilities of the package  38 . 
     Still referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, during an emergency where it is determined that a patient (not shown) may need a shock, the operator (not shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B) retrieves the defibrillator-electrode-pad storage system  36 , looks through the window  46  to determine the electrode-pad type or the appropriate attachment location of the electrode pad  14   a , and opens the package  38  if the electrode pads  14   a  and  14   b  are of the type appropriate for the patient. Because the operator can determine the appropriate attachment location of the electrode pad  14   a  before or while opening the package  38 , he/she can attach the electrode pads  14   a  and  14   b  to the patient without pausing to study the picture  22   a  after opening the package. 
     FIG. 3C is a rear view of the defibrillator-electrode-pad system  36  having a rear side  56  with a translucent window  58  according to another embodiment of the invention. The partially see-through rear side  56  replaces the opaque rear side  42  of FIG.  3 B and is similar to the front side  40  of FIG.  3 A. The window  58 , which is similar to the window  46  of FIG. 3A, allows the operator (not shown FIG. 3C) to view the electrode pad  14   b , instructions, or a label such as the picture  22   b  before he/she opens the package  38 . Therefore, the operator can determine the electrode-pad type or the appropriate placement locations before opening the package  38  regardless of which side of the package he/she views. 
     Referring to FIGS. 3A-3C, other embodiments of the defibrillator-electrode-pad storage system  36  are contemplated. For example, although described as having front and rear sides, the package  38  can have a unibody construction with no distinct sides. Furthermore, although the windows  46  and  58  are shown as round, they may have other shapes. In addition, although the electrode-pad leads (e.g., leads  18  of FIG. 5) are shown as being stored inside the package  38 , they may extend from through the package via a sealed lead opening. Moreover, although the pictures  22   a  and  22   b  are shown to be visible through the respective windows  46  and  58 , other types of instructions or labels, such as a color to indicate the electrode-pad type, may be visible. Furthermore, although the instructions  44  are shown on the rear side  42 , they may be on the window  46  or the opaque portion  48  of the front side  42 , or on the window  58  or the opaque portion of the rear side  56 . 
     FIGS. 4A and 4B are front and rear views, respectively, of a defibrillator-electrode-pad storage system  60 , which includes the defibrillator electrode pads  14   a  and  14   b  and a package  62  having a translucent front side  64  and an opaque rear side  66  according to an embodiment of the invention. The package  62  is similar to the package  38  of FIGS. 3A and 3B except that the entire front side  64  is translucent, and thus has no opaque portion. 
     FIG. 4C is a rear view of the defibrillator-electrode-pad storage system  60  having a translucent rear side  68  according to another embodiment of the invention. The rear side  68  replaces the opaque rear side  66  of FIG.  4 B and is similar to the front side  64  of FIG.  4 A. The rear side  68  is also similar to the rear side  56  of FIG. 3C except that the entire rear side  68  is translucent, and thus has no opaque portion. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an AED system  80 , which includes an AED  82  for generating a shock and which includes the defibrillator-electrode-pad storage system  36  of FIGS. 3A-3C or the system  60  of FIGS. 4A-4C according to an embodiment of the invention. For clarity, the system  80  is discussed as including the electrode-pad storage system  36  of FIGS. 3A-3C, and the electrode pads  14   a  and  14   b  are shown removed from the opened package  38 . In one embodiment, the storage system  36  includes a connector  86 , which couples the electrode pads  14   a  and  14   b  to a connector  88  of the AED  82 . Because they are not affected by moisture loss, the connector  86  and the electrode-pad leads  18   a  and  18   b  need not be—but can be—sealed within the package  38 . If the connector  86  and the leads  18   a  and  18   b  extend from the package  38  via a sealed lead opening, then the operator (hand shown) can couple the connector  86  to the connector  88  before opening the package  38 . 
     The AED  82  includes a battery  90  for supplying power, a main on/off key switch  92 , a display  94  for displaying operator instructions, cardiac waveforms, or other information, a speaker  96  for providing audible operator instructions, an AED status indicator  98 , and a shock button  100 , which the operator presses to deliver a shock to the patient. The AED  82  may also include a microphone  102  for recording the operator&#39;s voice and other audible sounds that occur during the rescue, and a data card  104  for storing these sounds along with the patient&#39;s ECG and a record of AED events for later study. 
     Still referring to FIG. 5, during an emergency where it is determined that a patient (not shown) may need a shock, the operator retrieves the AED  82  and installs the battery  90  if it is not already installed. Next, the operator removes the defibrillator electrode pads  14   a  and  14   b  from the package  38  and inserts the electrode-pad connector  86  into the connector  88 . Then, the operator turns the on/off switch  92  to the “on” position to activate the AED  82 . Following the instructions displayed on the display  94  or “spoken” via the speaker  96 , the operator attaches the electrode pads  14   a  and  14   b  to the patient at the respective locations  24   a  and  24   b  as shown in the pictures  22   a  and  22   b  and in a picture  106  on the AED  82 . After the operator attaches the electrode pads  14   a  and  14   b  to the patient, the AED  82  analyzes the patient&#39;s ECG to determine whether the patient is suffering from a shockable heart rhythm. If the AED  82  determines that the patient is suffering from a shockable heart rhythm, then the display  94  or the speaker  96  instructs the operator to depress the shock button  100  to deliver a shock to the patient. Conversely, if the AED  82  determines that the patient is not suffering from a shockable heart rhythm, the display  94  or the speaker  96  informs the operator not to shock the patient, and may inform the operator to seek appropriate non-shock treatment for the patient. Furthermore, when it informs the operator not to shock the patient, the AED  82  often disables the shock button  100 . 
     FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an AED circuit  110 , which the AED  82  of FIG. 5 can incorporate according to an embodiment of the invention. The defibrillator electrode pads  14   a  and  14   b  are coupled to the circuit  110  via the connectors  86  and  88  and are operable to sense a patient&#39;s ECG (not shown) and to apply an electrical shock to the patient (not shown). A shock-delivery-and-ECG front-end circuit  112  samples the patient&#39;s ECG during an analysis mode of operation and provides a shock to the patient via the connectors  86  and  88  and the electrode pads  14   a  and  14   b  during a shock-delivery mode of operation. A gate array  114  receives the ECG samples from the circuit  112  and provides them to a processor unit (PU)  116 , which stores and analyzes the samples. If analysis of the patient&#39;s ECG indicates that the patient is suffering from a shockable heart rhythm, then the processor unit  116  instructs the circuit  112  via the gate array  114  to enable delivery of a shock when an operator (not shown in FIG. 6) presses the shock button  100 . Conversely, if analysis of the patient&#39;s ECG indicates that the patient is not suffering from a shockable heart rhythm, then the processor unit  116  often disables the circuit  112  from delivering a shock to the patient. 
     Still referring to FIG. 6, the circuit  110  includes a power-management circuit  118  for distributing power from the battery  90  to the subcircuits of the circuit  110 . The on/off switch  92  turns the circuit  110  “on” and “off”, a status circuit  122  indicates the status of the circuit  110 , and a gate array  124  interfaces the power-management circuit  118 , the on/off circuit  92 , and the status circuit  122  to the circuit  112 , the processor unit  116 , and the gate array  114 . As discussed above in conjunction with FIG. 5, the display  94  displays information to an operator, the speaker  96  provides audio instructions to the operator, and the microphone  102  records the operator&#39;s voice and other audible sounds. The data card  104  is connected to the gate array  114  via a port  128 . The card  104  stores the operator&#39;s voice and other sounds along with the patient&#39;s ECG and a record of AED events for later study. A status-measurement circuit  130  provides the status of the circuit  110  subcircuits to the processor unit  116 , and LEDs  132  provide information to the operator such as whether the processor unit  116  has enabled the circuit  112  to deliver a shock to the patient. A contrast button  134  allows the operator to control the contrast of the display screen  94 , and a memory such as a read only memory (ROM)  136  stores programming information for the processor unit  116  and the gate arrays  114  and  124 . 
     The AED circuit  110  and other AED circuits are further discussed in the following references, which are incorporated by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,836,993, 5,735,879 entitled ELECTROTHERAPY METHOD AND APPARATUS, U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,454 entitled ELECTROTHERAPY METHOD AND APPARATUS, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,879,374 entitled DEFIBRILLATOR WITH SELF-TEST FEATURES.