Electrode Placement Patch Raises ECG Accuracy

By HospiMedica International staff writers
Posted on 28 Dec 2016

A single-use patch that ensures the uniform placement of electrocardiogram (ECG) leads cuts down on inaccuracies and saves time.

The Ennovea Medical (Columbus, OH, USA) CardioQuick Patch (CQP) is a single-use, disposable overlay that provides a reference point and designates the anatomical lines needed to guide proper electrode placement. Developed to assist accurate precordial ECG, the patch incorporates six preplaced electrodes, with each one provided with an adjustable positioning guide in order to customize electrode placement for patients of varying shapes and sizes. The system also comes with four limb leads, and is compatible with both 3-lead and 4-lead ECG systems.

Image: The CardioQuick Patch facilitates correct ECG electrode placement (Photo courtesy of Ennovea Medical).

The CQP can stay on the patient for up to three days, ensuring that subsequent 12-lead ECGs are reproducible and accurate for patient trending analysis. A new study to evaluate CQP placement found a significant difference between the minimum time needed to place standard leads (66 seconds) and the CQP (39 seconds) method. And while the standard group exhibited significant levels of placement error, the CQP showed less intra-practitioner variability. The study was published in the November-December 2016 issue of the Journal of Electrocardiology.

“Any misdiagnosis from an erroneous ECG acquisition prevents timely medical intervention for the patient which, in worst case scenarios, increases the likelihood of morbidity and mortality,” said Robert Deans, director of Ennovea Medical. “We’re hoping that this study and its accompanying data will finally prove to hospitals around the world that the CardioQuick Patch is the solution they’ve been looking for to solve this age-old clinical issue.”

The ECG provides vital diagnostic information for immediate clinical decision-making and to identify patients who develop changes, which make them candidates for early invasive coronary investigation. Since incorrect positioning of the precordial electrodes changes the ECG significantly, patients are at risk of potentially harmful therapeutic procedures. The only solution is proper precordial electrode placement, which requires training and an environment supporting precision.

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