Medical Electrode Assembly

Abstract

A medical electrode assembly can be substantially transparent or translucent to visible, infrared and/or ultraviolet light so that light rays emitted by a phototherapy device can shine through and pass transversely across every layer of the medical electrode assembly to impinge upon the skin of the patient to which the assembly is attached. This includes an area of skin located directly underneath the medical electrode assembly and thereby enables a combination of therapies including one or more of electrotherapy and phototherapy. The upper and lower exterior exposed faces of the medical electrode can have tacky, self-adhesive surfaces.

1 . A medical electrode assembly for being applied to a patient's skin for use in applying electrotherapy to the skin of the patient, comprising:
 a first electrically-conductive layer forming an exposed surface at an end face of the medical electrode assembly, said exposed surface of first electrically-conductive layer being tacky and self-adhesive;   a second electrically-conductive layer secured to said first electrically-conductive layer and forming an exposed surface at an opposite end face of the medical electrode assembly, said exposed surface of said second electrically-conductive layer being tacky and self-adhesive; and   an electrically-conductive lead wire having an exposed end sandwiched between said first and second electrically-conductive layers and an opposite end for electrical connecting to a separate electrical stimulation device.   
     
     
         2 . A medical electrode assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said first and second electrically-conductive layers is flexible. 
     
     
         3 . A medical electrode assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said first electrically-conductive layer is made of the same material as said second electrically-conductive layer. 
     
     
         4 . A medical electrode assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said first and second electrically-conductive layers is an electrically-conductive, self-adhesive gel. 
     
     
         5 . A medical electrode assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said first and second electrically-conductive layers is flexible, wherein said first electrically-conductive layer is made of the same material as said second electrically-conductive layer, and wherein each of said first and second electrically-conductive layers is an electrically-conductive, self-adhesive gel. 
     
     
         6 . A medical electrode assembly for being applied to a patient's skin and for electrically coupling the assembly to the patient's skin, consisting of opposite layers secured together with an exposed end of an electrically-conductive lead wire sandwiched therebetween, said lead wire having an opposite end for electrically connecting to a separate electrical stimulation device, and said opposite flexible layers being electrically-conductive and forming opposite self-adhesive exposed faces of the medical electrode assembly. 
     
     
         7 . A medical electrode assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein each of said opposite layers is flexible. 
     
     
         8 . A medical electrode assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein said opposite layers are made of the same electrically-conductive, self-adhesive material. 
     
     
         9 . A medical electrode assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein said opposite layers are each made of an electrically-conductive, self-adhesive gel. 
     
     
         10 . A medical electrode assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein said opposite layers are each made of the same electrically-conductive, self-adhesive gel.