ECG Extension Cable Ground Path Bypass for Signal Integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrosurgical units (ESU) interfere with ECG signal monitoring, causing patient burns and safety issues due to significant current flow during electrosurgery procedures, and existing series protection elements in ECG extension cables attenuate data signals, preventing proper transmission between ECG lead sets and monitoring devices.
Innovation Solution
An ECG extension cable with a series protection element and a bypass path, where a switching element redirects the ground path to bypass the series protection element during initial connection, allowing safe data transmission and preventing ESU interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a series protection element is coupled in series along the ground wire to prevent ESU burns, then patient safety is improved, but data signal transmission is attenuated and blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by detecting the initial connection between the ECG lead set and monitoring device, then automatically bypassing the series protection element before data transmission is needed. This preliminary bypass action allows subsequent data signals to pass through without attenuation, while the protection element remains in place for safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The ground path configuration is made dynamic through the switching element that can redirect the ground path along the bypass path. The system transitions from a static protected ground path to a dynamic configuration where the protection element is temporarily bypassed during data transmission, resolving the contradiction between safety and signal integrity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a series protection element is added to the ground wire for patient safety during electrosurgery, then protection against harmful factors is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ECG extension cable is designed with multi-functionality by integrating both the series protection element for safety and the bypass path with switching element for data transmission. This universal design allows the same cable to provide both patient protection during electrosurgery and uninterrupted data transmission, avoiding the need for separate safety and data transmission components.
3Loss of information
If the ground path is redirected through a switching element to bypass the series protection element, then data transmission is improved, but the risk of ESU interference increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback by detecting the initial connection state between the ECG lead set and monitoring device, then automatically controlling the switching element to bypass the protection element only when appropriate. This feedback mechanism ensures the bypass is activated at the correct time for data transmission while maintaining safety protocols, preventing ESU interference risks.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrocardiogram (ECG) extension cable includes a first connector configured to be electrically coupled to a physiological monitoring device, a second connector configured to be electrically coupled to an ECG lead set including a processor, an input/output (I/O) wire configured to transmit data between the physiological monitoring device and the processor, a ground wire that establishes a ground path between the first connector and the second connector, a series protection element coupled in series along the ground wire, a bypass path coupled to the ground wire in parallel to the series protection element, and a switching element arranged along the bypass path and configured to redirect the ground path along the bypass path, thereby bypassing the series protection element.