User's Manual

ECG
8-5
Accessories
Use silver/silver-chloride electrodes or their equivalent, and always connect all
electrodes required for a particular lead. Missing electrodes may result in the loss
of ECG tracing.
WARNING:
• Use only monitoring cables and safety lead wires to protect
against accidental connection to electrical power cords or
outlets. Failure to do so may result in adverse health
consequences or death.
!
• Use only Spacelabs Medical recommended electrodes. Some
electrodes may polarize, creating large offset potentials which
can compromise recovery time after application of defibrillator
pulses. Squeeze bulb electrodes, commonly used for diagnostic
ECG recording, may be particularly vulnerable to this effect.
CAUTION:
• Visually inspect each lead wire for obvious damage and
replace them as needed.
• When placing a telemetry transmitter on the patient, make
sure the front of the transmitter is always facing away from
the patient.
• Use only patient cables and lead wires specified by
Spacelabs Medical. Other cables and lead wires may
degrade performance and may damage the monitor during
defibrillation or high frequency electrosurgery. Non-
Spacelabs Medical cables and lead wires may also change
the required input impedance and DC offset voltage,
affecting monitor performance.
• Do not use stainless steel electrodes.
• Place the electrodes as far away from the electrosurgery
site as possible because considerable high frequency
current may flow into the electrodes. This can cause
patient burns, especially if a defect is present in the neutral
cable of the electrosurgical unit. Placing electrodes too
close to the electrosurgery site can also cause a noisy ECG
trace.
• Do not allow conductive parts of electrode leads or
connectors, including the neutral electrode, to contact
other conductive parts, including the ground.
• Poor cable dress or improper electrode preparation may
cause line isolation monitor transients to resemble actual
cardiac waveforms and thus inhibit heart rate alarms. Refer
to Patient Preparation and Electrode Application on page 8-
6 for details on proper electrode preparation and
application.