Virtual Reference Electrode for Medical Device Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional medical device navigation systems face errors in position measurements due to varying body resistance, which can cause drift, shift, scatter, and offset, and require multiple electrodes and sensors that increase complexity and setup time.
Innovation Solution
A system with first and second drive electrodes and reference electrodes coupled to a common node, establishing a virtual reference electrode nearer the medical device to reduce body resistance and integrate components, thereby minimizing measurement errors and simplifying the system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a reference electrode is placed far from the medical device (e.g., near the stomach), then the system can be simplified with fewer components, but body resistance increases causing measurement errors including drift, shift, scatter, and offset
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary reference electrode positioned between the drive electrodes and the medical device. This intermediate reference electrode serves as a mediator that reduces the body resistance in the measurement path while maintaining system simplicity. The reference electrode is coupled to a common reference node that outputs a reference signal, establishing a virtual reference origin nearer to the medical device without requiring multiple separate reference electrodes throughout the body.
2Measurement precision
If multiple electrodes and sensors are used to establish a coordinate system origin, then measurement accuracy can be maintained, but system complexity and setup time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of multiple reference electrodes into a single reference electrode that is coupled to a common reference node. This consolidation reduces the number of separate components while maintaining the ability to establish an accurate coordinate system origin. The common reference node integrates the reference signals, eliminating the need for multiple distributed reference electrodes and reducing setup complexity.
3Measurement precision
If the reference electrode is placed near the medical device, then body resistance decreases improving measurement accuracy, but the system becomes more complex requiring additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The reference electrode serves multiple functions simultaneously: it establishes the coordinate system origin, provides a reference signal for position measurements, and reduces body resistance effects. By making the reference electrode multi-functional, the system achieves improved measurement accuracy without adding separate components for each function, thereby avoiding increased complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces measurement errors by an order of magnitude and eliminates the need for multiple electrodes, simplifying procedures and reducing inventory and setup time.
Implementation Method 1
when electrical currents are passed through the thorax a voltage drop occurs across internal organs such as the heart and this voltage drop can be measured
Implementation Method 2
The measured voltages are proportional to the distance of the device electrodes from the patch electrodes
Data Source
AI summary
A system for determining a position of a medical device within a body is provided that reduces positional error by establishing a reference origin closer to the device and/or simplifies the system by integrating components and functions. In one embodiment, a pair of drive electrodes are affixed to opposed surfaces of the body and create a pathway for transmission of current through a position sensor related to the medical device. A pair of reference electrodes proximate the drive electrodes are coupled to a common reference node outputting a reference signal establishing the reference origin. An electronic control unit determines the position of the medical device responsive to the position signal and the reference signal. In another embodiment, a patch affixed to an external surface of the body has a base layer and multiple devices supported on the base layer, electrically isolated from one another, and configured to perform different functions.