Electrochemical electrode with heating means

Abstract

An electrode arrangement for application to a body surface for bloodless measurement in connection with the concentration or the partial pressure of a gas in the blood comprising a sensor unit having a face member for body contact, and a heating unit coupled to the sensor unit for transmitting to said face member a thermal condition for thermal stimulation of the local blood circulation. In a further embodiment, the sensor unit includes at the face member a cover membrane permeable for a gas to be measured.

We claim: 
     
       1. An electrode arrangement for application to a body surface for bloodless measurement in connection with the concentration or the partial pressure of a gas in the blood .[.including.]. .Iadd.comprising.Iaddend., sensor means for .Iadd.electrochemically .Iaddend.deriving.Iadd., .Iaddend.in vivo.Iadd., .Iaddend.electrical signals indicative of the .Iadd.concentration or .Iaddend.partial pressure of gas in .Iadd.the .Iaddend.blood .[.and having.]. .Iadd., said sensor means including .Iaddend.a face member .[.adapted.]. for body contact.[., the improvement comprising:.]..Iadd.; and .Iaddend.heating means in direct thermal contact with .[.said sensor means and adapted to transmit to said face member a thermal condition for thermal stimulation at the applied body surface of local blood circulation.]. .Iadd.the face member for transmitting heat throughout the face member into the body tissue directly therebeneath to produce a condition of sufficient hyperemia in said body tissue.Iaddend.. 
     
     
       2. An electrode arrangement according to claim 1 whereby said heating means includes a current source and a resistance winding connected from said current source. 
     
     
       3. An electrode arrangement according to claim 2 whereby said heating means also includes: thermally conductive block means positioned in thermal contact with said sensor means and said winding being mounted on said block means.   
     
     
       4. An electrode arrangement according to claim 3 whereby said face member is of a material adapted for catalysing the electrochemical reaction at the body surface to which applied. 
     
     
       5. An electrode arrangement according to claim 4 whereby the face member of said sensor means is of platinum. 
     
     
       6. An electrode arrangement according to claim 3 whereby said sensor means further includes at said face member a cover membrane, permeable for the gas to be measured. 
     
     
       7. An electrode arrangement according to claim 1, whereby said heating means includes: temperature regulating means having a temperature-measuring element the measuring probe of which is mounted in the vicinity of said sensor means. 
     
     
       8. An electrode arrangement for application to a body surface for bloodless measurement in connection with the concentration or the partial pressure of a gas in the blood comprising: a substantially cylindrical electrically and heat conductive member provided with an encircling recess about its outer surface and a first axial boring on one end-face;   smoothly cylindrical electrode means lying on the member end-face opposite said boring and electrically and heat-conductively coupled with said member;   heating winding means mounted in said recess for generating a thermal condition for application to said body surface;   temperature measuring means mounted in said axial boring;   annular reference electrode means mounted concentrically with the electrode means;   a contact face of said reference electrode lying in a common plane with the end-face of the electrode means distal to said member;   an electrolyte film covering the contact face and the end-face of the electrode means;   membrane means covering said electrolyte film, adapted for body contact; and   lead means electrically coupled with said electrode means for deriving in vivo electrical signals indicative of the partial pressure of gas in blood.