Abstract: A protection circuit for a defibrillator that prevents a defibrillator pulse from being generated if the impedance between the defibrillator's electrode leads is not characteristic of the impedance between a pair of defibrillator electrodes properly connected to the defibrillator. The impedance measuring circuit applies a current to the electrode leads and the resulting voltage is measured to provide an indication of the electrode's impedance. The current is applied between the electrodes at about 33 kHz to approximate the impedance between a pair of defibrillator electrodes during a defibrillation pulse. The output of the measurement circuit is converted to an 8 bit word by an analog-to-digital converter and read by a microprocessor which compares the measured impedance to various impedance values in order to either generate an enable signal for the defibrillator or display messages indicative of open or short circuited electrode leads or a patient monitoring electrode connected to the electrode leads.

Abstract: A protection circuit for a defibrillator that prevents a defibrillator pulse from being generated if the impedance between the defibrillator's electrode leads is not characteristic of the impedance between a pair of defibrillator electrodes properly connected to the defibrillator. The impedance measuring circuit applies a current to the electrode leads and the resulting voltage is measured to provide an indication of the electrode's impedance. The current is applied between the electrodes at about 33 kHz to approximate the impedance between a pair of defibrillator electrodes during a defibrillation pulse. The output of the measurement circuit is converted to an 8 bit word by an analog-to-digital converter and read by a microprocessor which compares the measured impedance to various impedance values in order to either generate an enable signal for the defibrillator or display messages indicative of open or short circuited electrode leads or a patient monitoring electrode connected to the electrode leads.

Abstract: A method for sterilizing a male by coagulating an anatomical element using an instrument having a body with two members adapted for closing towards each other and holding therebetween an anatomical element, and a waveguide constructed to emit electromagentic radiation at a predetermined microwave frequency suitable for coagulation of an anatomical element, the waveguide disposed on at least one of the body members, comprising the steps of holding an anatomical element between the body members closed towards each other at a predetermined pressure causing emission of electromagnetic radiation from the waveguide in one of the body members towards the remaining body member, the radiation being emitted at a frequency to selectively permanently cauterize only muscle tissue portions of the anatomical element held between the body members without significant damage to fatty tissue portions of the anatomical element held between the body members; and subjecting the held anatomical element to the emitted waveguide radi