ELECTRODE CONFIGURATION SCHEME FOR ELECTROPHYSIOLOGICAL TESTING DEVICES
20190049433 ยท 2019-02-14
Inventors
- Bryan EHRET (Crestwood, KY, US)
- David KENNEDY (Georgetown, IN, US)
- Tyler Martin (Louisville, KY, US)
- Galen Powers (Louisville, KY, US)
- Steve Upchurch (Georgetown, IN, US)
- Olivia Ryan (Louisville, KY, US)
Cpc classification
B01L3/5085
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
A61B2018/1467
HUMAN NECESSITIES
A61B5/24
HUMAN NECESSITIES
A61B5/384
HUMAN NECESSITIES
A61B5/271
HUMAN NECESSITIES
International classification
G01N33/50
PHYSICS
Abstract
A device and system allows for simplified connection, disconnection, and mitigation of signal interference for electrophysiological testing. One or more electrophysiological electrodes are attached to the patient. These electrodes are connected to leads which are bundled based on region with a single connector associated with each bundle. The bundles are individually keyed and colored for ease of connection and disconnection. Leads within a bundle are organized through the use of a retainer. Electrode bundles are connected to a junction box within proximity to the patient. A single cable connects the junction box to an electrophysiological testing and monitoring interface. A system for visualizing lead bundle data, organizing individual electrode data by the lead bundles that they are associated, facilitates a workflow allowing for rapid and simple channel identification in association with specific electrode regions.
Claims
1. An apparatus for use in association with a plurality of electrodes and an electrophysiological testing device for supporting a plurality of electrode configurations on a patient, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of bundles, each of the bundles comprising a plurality of electrode leads, each of the electrode leads being adapted to transmit electrophysiological signals from one of the plurality of electrodes, wherein each of the plurality of bundles terminates at a single keyed connector; and a junction box including a plurality of keyed receivers, each of the keyed receivers adapted to pair with and receive a corresponding keyed connector; and a cable adapted to connect the junction box to the electrophysiological testing device; wherein each of the keyed receivers of the junction box is adapted to receive the electrophysiological signals from the corresponding keyed connector, and wherein the cable is adapted to transmit the electrophysiological signals received at the junction box from each of the plurality of bundles to the electrophysiological testing device.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of bundles is identified by a different color.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of bundles is adapted for connection to a specific anatomical region on the patient.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrode leads within at least one of the plurality of bundles comprise different lengths.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the different lengths of the plurality of electrode leads within the at least one of the plurality of bundles comprises at least one shorter length for a first electrode lead adapted for attachment to a back of a head of the patient and at least one longer length for a second electrode lead adapted for attachment to a front of the head of the patient.
6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the different lengths of the plurality of electrode leads within the at least one of the plurality of bundles comprises at least one shorter length for a first electrode lead adapted for attachment to a front of a head of the patient and at least one longer length for a second electrode lead adapted for attachment to a back of the head of the patient.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrodes within at least one of the plurality of bundles are all the same length.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, further including at least one retainer connecting the plurality of electrode leads within at least one of the bundles at a longitudinal location between the electrodes and the keyed connector.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the retainer is adapted to slide longitudinally along the at least one bundle.
10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one retainer comprises a plurality of retainers, each of the plurality of retainers attached to one of the plurality of bundles, wherein each of the plurality of bundles along with its corresponding retainer is identified by a different color.
11. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein each of the keyed receivers is color coded to a respective one of the plurality of bundles, said color code comprising a different color corresponding to each pair of bundle and keyed receiver.
12. An apparatus for use in association with a plurality of electrodes and an electrophysiological testing device for supporting a plurality of electrode configurations on a patient, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of electrode leads grouped into a plurality of bundles, wherein each of the plurality of bundles corresponds to a different anatomical region on the patient, wherein each of the plurality of bundles includes at least two of the electrode leads that terminate at a single connector, and wherein each of the electrode leads is adapted to transmit electrophysiological signals from one of the plurality of electrodes to a corresponding single connector; a junction box including a plurality of receivers, each of the receivers adapted to be paired with the connector of one of the bundles; and a cable adapted to connect the junction box to the electrophysiological testing device; wherein each of the receivers of the junction box includes an identifier that is coded to only one of the plurality of bundles; wherein each of the receivers of the junction box is adapted to receive the electrophysiological signals from the corresponding paired connector; and wherein the cable is adapted to transmit the electrophysiological signals received at the junction box from each of the plurality of bundles to the electrophysiological testing device.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the identifier comprises a color, such that each of the receivers is color coded to only one of the bundles.
14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein each connector of each bundle is a different shape, and wherein the identifier comprises a shape, such that each of the receivers is shaped to correspond to the shape of only connector of only one of the bundles.
15. The apparatus of claim 12, further including a plurality of retainers, each retainer adapted to receive and maintain relative position of the electrode leads within a given bundle.
16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the identifier comprises color, such that each of the retainers includes a color that matches a color of its corresponding bundle, and wherein each of the receivers is color coded to only one of the bundles.
17. A method of evaluating electrophysiological signals from a patient comprising: attaching a plurality of electrodes to the patient, the plurality of electrodes being grouped according to a plurality of anatomical regions and adapted to transmit the electrophysiological signals from the patient; providing a plurality of bundles of electrode leads, wherein each bundle comprises at least two electrode leads that terminate at a single connector, and wherein each bundle corresponds to a single one of the anatomical regions; connecting each of the electrode leads of a first bundle to electrodes of a first of the anatomical regions, and each of the electrode leads of a second bundle to electrodes of a second of the anatomical regions; providing a junction box including a plurality of receivers color coded to correspond to a single one of the plurality of bundles and further including a cable adapted for pairing with an electrophysiological testing device; connecting the single connector of each of the plurality of bundles to a corresponding color coded receiver; pairing the cable of the junction box with the electrophysiological testing device; and displaying on the electrophysiological testing device the electrophysiological signals of the patient.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the electrophysiological signals are displayed in groups according to anatomical regions.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein the electrophysiological signals are displayed in groups according to bundle.
20. The method of claim 167 wherein the electrophysiological signals are displayed in groups according to the color coding of the bundles and receivers.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0019]
[0020]
[0021]
[0022]
[0023]
[0024]
[0025]
[0026]
[0027]
[0028]
[0029]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0030]
[0031] These connectors may interact with individually keyed receivers 110 of a junction box 104, with each keyed connector 103 corresponding to a particular keyed receiver 110. For example, each keyed connector 103 may correspond in shape to an individual keyed receiver 110, but not to other keyed receivers. The junction box 104 may relay individual signals through a single cable 105 and connector 106 to an electrophysiological device with user interface 107. This user interface 107 may organize and display electrophysiological data based on lead groupings for ease in identifying specific electrophysiological signal. One skilled in the art will appreciate the disclosed material is illustrative and should not be construed as limited to an individual electrophysiological test or electrode configuration. Modifications to embodiments described in this document, and other embodiments, will be evident to those of ordinary skill in the art after review of information provided. The described embodiments provided in this document are not to be considered limiting.
[0032]
[0033] The one or more electrophysiological electrodes 201 may attach to patients using an adhesive or other form of releasable connection. These electrodes 201 may be attached to or detachable from the individual leads 202. In some embodiments, the electrodes 201 may be permanently affixed to respective lead wires 202. One or more electrodes 201 may be attached to patient through mechanisms comprising but not limited to colloidal gel or paste and/or reusable or electrode heads such as disposable electrode cups or ear clips.
[0034] Leads 202 may comprise an individual conductive wire or cable. The location of these electrodes 201 and leads 202 attached to a specifically keyed connector 203 is dependent on the type of electrophysiological monitoring desired.
[0035]
[0036] A length of each of the individual leads 302 may correspond to a respective location or placement of one or more electrodes 301 upon the patient in a given test. For example, a shorter lead 302a may be adapted for electrodes placed toward the inion and a longer lead 302b may be adapted for electrodes placed towards the nasion. Alternatively, lead length may correspond to probe placement with shorter lead lengths associated with electrodes placed toward the nasion and longer lead lengths correspond to electrodes placed near the inion. The number of electrodes 301 and leads 302 attached to each specifically keyed connector 303 is dependent on the type of electrophysiological electrode configuration to be used.
[0037] With reference to
[0038] In one aspect, electrode leads 402 may be grouped into specific bundles, such as bundles 402a, 402b, 402c of
[0039] For example, a first bundle 402a of a 10/20 EEG configuration may be a first color, such as blue, and its corresponding first keyed connector 403a may also be blue. Blue may represent a first anatomical placement corresponding to a first brain region. A second bundle 402b may be a second color, such as red, and its corresponding second keyed connector 403b, which may be different in shape from the first keyed connector 403a, may also be red. Red may represent a second anatomical placement corresponding to a second brain region. Similarly, a third bundle 402c may be a third color, such as yellow, and its corresponding third keyed connector 403c, which may be different in shape from both the first and second keyed connectors 403a, 403b, may also be yellow. Yellow may represent a third anatomical placement corresponding to a third brain region.
[0040] In a further aspect, the length of leads 402, 502 of a given bundle may correspond to an anatomical placement of the electrodes 401,501 associated with the leads of said bundle. For example, a first bundle adapted for and keyed for placement on a left temporal region may be longer than a second bundle adapted for and keyed for placement on a brain midline region, or vice versa.
[0041] In another aspect, the length of leads 402, 502 within a given bundle may vary such that the lengths of the leads correspond to an anatomical placement of the electrodes 401, 501 associated within said leads within said bundle. For example, a first lead within a first bundle 502a which corresponds to an electrode adapted for placement in a left temporal region nearer the nasion may be longer than a second lead within the first bundle which corresponds to an electrode adapted for placement in the left temporal region nearer the inion.
[0042] With further reference to
[0043] With reference to
[0044] The anatomical regions may correspond to alphanumeric coordinates, such as nomenclature understood to correspond to standard 10/10 electrode configurations. For instance, the regions may correspond to regions including but not limited to frontotemporal, frontocentral, temporal-posterior temporal, centroparietal, posterior temporo-occipital, parieto-occipital, anterior frontal, occipital, and temporal, and numerical designations correspond to standardized 10/10 nomenclature. As illustrated in
[0045] With further reference to
[0046] One or more of the leads of bundle 502a, the keyed connector 503a, and the corresponding electrodes 501 of
[0047] In a further aspect, a retainer 204, 304 may be provided for organizing, separating, managing and retaining electrode lead bundles, such as is illustrated in
[0048] Movement of the retainer along the longitudinal axis of the bundle may allow the retainer to help reform or modify a condition of the bundle. For example, the retainer 204, 304 may be mobile along the leads of the bundles 202, 302, thereby limiting loose cable length. In another aspect, the retainer may be colored corresponding to color of its corresponding bundle 202, 302.
[0049] In one embodiment, the retainer 204, 304 may be a notched clip. The notched clip may include notches or channels adapted to retain one or more leads of a given bundle to keep them arrayed in a specific form such that the wires are not twisted or tangled. The retainer 204, 304 may be configurable for any number of leads within or between bundles 202, 302.
[0050] In one aspect, a plurality of retainers 204, 304 may be placed along the length of a given bundle 202, 302. The retainers 204, 304 may be permanent or removable. It should be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the retainer 204, 304 may be made of any number of flexible or rigid materials.
[0051] With further reference to
[0052] In one aspect, the receivers 906 may be adapted to form an interference fit with the electrode leads 902. Accordingly, the receivers 906 may comprise an enlarged recess 908 in which the electrode leads 902 may be placed. In another aspect, the receivers 906 may comprise a mouth 910 which is smaller than the enlarged recess 908. The mouth 910 and enlarged recess 908 may be sized such that a diameter of the electrode lead 902 is larger in diameter than, or no smaller than, the mouth 910, such that the electrode leads 902 may be snapped into and the enlarged recess 908 through the mouth 910, and retained therein by the mouth, which is no greater than the diameter of the electrode lead 902. The enlarged recess 908 may be at least as large in diameter as the diameter of the electrode lead 902, such that the retainer 904 may be allowed longitudinal movement along the electrode leads 902 when said leads are retained within the recesses 908. In one aspect, the diameters of the recesses 908 may be approximately equal to the diameters of the electrode leads 902. Accordingly, friction may hold the retainer 904 at a given longitudinal position along the electrode leads 902. Said friction may be overcome by applying a force to the retainer 904 in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the electrode leads, so that the retainer 904 may be moved along said electrode leads.
[0053] As shown in
[0054] As illustrated, the plurality of arms 1008 may extend radially outward from a central body. In one aspect, the arms may form a floriform configuration. The receivers 1006 may include a narrowed mouth 1010, which may allow for the interference fit with the electrode leads. In a further aspect, the arms 1008 may be adapted to wrap around a given electrode lead 1002, with the narrowed mouth 1010 adapted to hold the electrode lead within the receiver 1006. Such a configuration may require a force to be applied to open the receiver 1006 of each arm to insert or remove an electrode lead from the receiver. The retainer 1004 may be adapted to recoil and wrap around the electrode lead upon removal of said force. For example, the retainer 1004 may comprise a resilient material that may temporarily be deformed by a force for insertion or removal of the electrode lead 1002, and then retake its original shape upon removal of the force. Similarly to the embodiment of
[0055] With reference to
[0056] The keyed receivers 610, 710 may correspond to specific electrode lead bundles 402, 502. For example, the keyed receivers 610, 710 may be colored so as to correspond to a specific color of a given bundle 402, 502, as outlined above. The keyed receivers 610, 710 may be placed on the front or sides or on top of a housing of the junction box 601, 701. Keyed receivers 610, 710 may be located on the junction box such that their location may correspond to the anatomical location of electrodes of the corresponding bundles 402, 502.
[0057] In a further aspect, keyed receivers 610, 710 for left and right corresponding regions, such as parasagittal regions, may have the same identifiers or keying. For example, the electrodes 401, 501, the lead bundles 402, 502, the keyed connectors 403, 503, the corresponding keyed receivers (or any combination thereof) which correspond to the left temporal region may have the same identifier (e.g. color) and keyed configuration as those of the right temporal region. In another example, the identifier, such as color, of the electrodes, bundles, keyed connectors, keyed receivers (or any combination thereof) of the left and right similar anatomical regions may be the same, but the keyed configurations of left and right elements may be different. Alternately, both the identifier, such as color, and the keyed configurations of the electrodes, bundles, keyed connectors, keyed receivers (or any combination thereof) of the left and right similar anatomical regions may both be different from one another.
[0058] In use, the junction box 601, 701 may be placed within close proximity to the patient to eliminate length of electrode lead bundle length. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the junction box 601, 701 may be constructed of any one of a variety of materials such as molded plastic and/or metal, and may be configured according to various shapes or geometries.
[0059] As illustrated,
[0060] Similarly,
[0061] The cable 603, 703 associated with the junction box 601, 701 may include one or more individual conductive signal wires or cables originating at the junction box 601, 701 and terminating at the connector 704 specific for relaying electrode signal to an electrophysiological monitoring interface including but not limited to a BCI, a computer terminal, and a display screen. The cable 603, 703 may be shielded with strip or braided conductive material and may be surrounded in protective material.
[0062]
[0063] For example, a strip chart graph may be displayed in which data from bundles 803 are depicted and organized together and may be given specific identifiers 804 which contrast for ease of visualization. Color coding or other identifiers 804, such as shape, may coordinate with a coding which is also applied to electrodes 401, 501, bundles 402, 502, keyed connectors 403, 503, and/or keyed receivers 610, 710. Graphic depiction of text for data associated with specific lead bundles, such as identifiers 804, may also be associated with colored shapes for ease of visualization. Color coding or shape display may also change to indicate detection of specific signal patterns occurring in a data channel, such as change in impedance or other signal abnormality. The data channels corresponding to specific bundles 803 may be grouped with the electrode nearest the nasion represented as the first data channel while the electrode nearest the inion may be visualized as the last data channel. Accordingly, a workflow allowing for rapid and simple channel identification corresponding to specific electrode anatomical regions 805 may be facilitated.
[0064] With respect to the disclosed subject matter, the preferred patient is a warm-blooded mammal, with the most preferable being a human. As used herein the term patient is reflective of such preference.
[0065] With further respect to the disclosed subject matter, electrophysiological tests include any test which measures electrical potential of a patient utilizing electrodes specific for such assessment. Examples of electrophysiological tests include electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography (EMG), nerve conduction studies (NCS), evoked potentials (EP), electrocardiography (ECG/EKG), and Holter monitoring. The most preferred electrophysiological test is EEG. In other embodiments, however, one or more of these tests may be used in parallel and transmitted along with patient EEG data.
[0066] It will be understood that various details of the presently disclosed subject matter can be changed without departing from the scope of the subject matter disclosed herein. Furthermore, the foregoing description is for the purpose of illustration only, and not for the purpose of limitation. As such, total embodiments which may be utilized should not be limited by expressed embodiments of 10/10 and 10/20 electrode configurations.