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Electrical Safety: Medical Instrumentation Application and Design, 4th Edition, Chapter 14
Electrical Safety: Medical Instrumentation Application and Design, 4th Edition, Chapter 14
Introduction
Basic Theory of Measurements
Beginnings of Basic Sensors
Sensors [MEMS]
Signals and Noise
Amplifiers of Signals
Connection and Protection of Signals
Data Acquisition and Data Converters
Electric Safety in Medical Systems
Electrical Safety
Agenda
Introduction
Physiological Effects of Electricity
Susceptibility Parameters
Distribution of Electric Power
Macroshock Hazards
Microshock Hazards
Electrical-Safety Codes and Standards
Approaches to Protection Against Shock
Power Distribution
Equipment Design
Testing the Electric System
Tests of Electric Appliances
Conclusion
Introduction
ES as elemetary protection
6
5
4
3
2
1
Figure 14.1 Physiological effects of electricity Threshold or estimated mean values are given
for each effect in a 70 kg human for a 1 to 3 s exposure to 60 Hz current applied via copper
wires grasped by the hands.
Physiological effects
Threshold of Perception (1)
Figure 14.2 Distributions of perception thresholds and let-go currents These data depend on
surface area of contact (moistened hand grasping AWG No. 8 copper wire). (Replotted from C. F.
Dalziel, "Electric Shock," Advances in Biomedical Engineering, edited by J. H. U. Brown and J.
F. Dickson III, 1973 3, 223-248.)
Susceptibility Parameters
Frequency
Figure 14.4 Normalized analytical strengthduration curve for current I, charge Q, and energy U.
The x axis shows the normalized duration of d/ (From Geddes, L. A., and L. E. Baker, Principles
of Applied Biomedical Instrumentation, 3rd ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1989).
Susceptibility Parameters
Body weight
Result
Intermittent capture with a minimum current of 20 A
Continuous capture with a minimum current of 49 A
Resulting Regulation
The widely accepted safety limit to prevent microshocks is 10 A
Susceptibility Parameters
Points of Entry - Example
Figure 14.7. Percentile plot of thresholds for continuous
capture and VF (or sustained VT). Cumulative percent of
patients is shown on abscissa and root-mean-square AC
current (in A) on ordinate. Squares denote unipolar data;
circles, bipolar data. Solid symbols identify data from patients
in whom the only clinical arrhythmia was atrial fibrillation
(AF). Top, Thresholds for continuous capture. Current
strength of 50 A caused continuous capture in 5 patients
(12%) with unipolar AC and in 9 (22%) with bipolar AC
(P=0.49). Bottom, Thresholds for sustained VT/VF. These
plots do not reach 100% because sustained-VT/VF thresholds
exceeded maximum output of stimulator in 6 patients (15%)
with bipolar AC and 8 (20%) with unipolar AC. From
Swerdlow, C. D., W. H. Olson, M. E. OConnor, D. M. Gallik,
R. A. Malkin, M. Laks, Cardiovascular collapse caused by
electrocardiographically silent 60-Hz intracardiac leakage
current Implications for electrical safety. Circulation.,
1999, 99, 25592564.
Distribution of Electric Power
Introduction
BUT
Medical devices underlie special safety regulations as they might stay
in special contact to and with patients, applicants and third persons
1. Overvoltage protection
2. Special ground
Example
A lightning causes an overvoltage at the public power supply. The
overvoltage is transferred directly to the patients heart by applied
ECG-Electrodes.
=> Over voltage protection
Distribution of Electric Power
El. power-distribution from grid to receptacles
Figure 14.8 Simplified electric-power distribution for 115 V circuits. Power frequency is 60
Hz.
Distribution of Electric Power
Isolated-power systems
Result
Patients in medical-care facilities are much more susceptible to
macroshocks
Macroshock Hazards
Protection
Result
Patient is only in danger of microshock if there is some electric
connection to the heart
Microshock Hazards
Protection
Leakage-current flows
a. through the ground wire no microshock occurs
b. through the patient if he touches the chassis and has a grounded catheter etc.
c. through the patient if he is touching ground and has a connected catheter etc.
Figure 14.17 Three-LED receptacle tester Ordinary silicon diodes prevent damaging
reverse-LED currents, and resistors limit current. The LEDs are ON for line voltages from
about 20 V rms to greater than 240 V rms, so these devices should not be used to measure line
voltage.
Testing the Electric System
Ground-pin-to-Chassis Resistance
Resistance between the ground pin of the plug and the equipment
chassis and exposed metal objects should not exceed 0.15 Ohm
during the life of the appliance
AC isolation current
Further reading
Medical Instrumentation Application and Design, 4th Edition, Chapter 14
John G. Webster, Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison
ISBN: 978-0-471-67600-3