Medgadget » Anesthesiology

Draeger Infinity Acute Care System Coming to North America

Gene Ostrovsky — Wed, 23 May 2012 16:27:31 +0000

Dräger is bringing its Infinity Acute Care System, an advanced ICU monitoring package, to the U.S. and Canada. The system features a wireless patient monitor that stays attached to the bed, allowing for quick movement of patients between different clinical departments without ever losing live data feeding back to the central console.

The Infinity includes Masimo’s complete rainbow SET noninvasive Pulse CO-Oximetry, interfaces with Dräger’s ventilators, and the “Medical Cockpit” integrates the data with information from the EMR including diagnostic images and patient history.

GE Upgrades Its Portable Vscan Ultrasound

Gene Ostrovsky — Fri, 11 May 2012 23:37:13 +0000

GE Healthcare has unveiled the new and improved version of its popular Vscan pocket-sized ultrasound. The Vscan 1.2 sports a longer lasting battery, a new interface, and improved data export capabilities to help with reporting and sharing info about patients.

Full list of new features in the Vscan 1.2 according to the GE announcement:

BIOTRONIK’s Reocor External Pacemaker Now Available in U.S.

Gene Ostrovsky — Fri, 11 May 2012 20:13:09 +0000

BIOTRONIK is bringing to the U.S. the Reocor external pacemarker, that is available in two models for dual- and single-chamber pacing.

The company is touting the system’s design and intuitive controls, as well as a longer lasting battery that will work for 600 hours of permanent pacing on the Reocor S model.

Tangent Shows Off NovaCath Secure IV Catheter

Gene Ostrovsky — Fri, 11 May 2012 16:29:29 +0000

Tangent Medical out of Ann Arbor, MI recently unveiled its NovaCath Secure IV Catheter System, a device designed to improve peripheral IV catheter stabilization and reduce the potential for clinicians being exposed to patient blood.

The closed system includes the catheter, high pressure extension tubing, multi-use flow control clamp and stabilization components.

Sensiotec Showcases Virtual Medical Assistant, a New Wireless Non-Contact Monitoring System

Jan Sinnige — Wed, 02 May 2012 19:21:38 +0000

Sensiotec Inc. (Atlanta, GA) is presenting a new non-contact vital signs monitoring system at the 2012 conference of the American Telemedicine Association in San Jose. The Virtual Medical Assistant uses the ultra wideband, a former military high frequency band, to detect movements from the heart, lungs and torso. Using a specific algorithm, the detected absorption rates can be transformed into vital signs data. The server can transmit patient data to any number of nursing stations, personal computers, cell phones, tablets and pagers simultaneously.

A nice feature for developers is the server architecture that provides an API (Application Programming Interface) based on standard web technologies. This makes it possible to easily build new clients or create interfaces with all other types of software applications.

GE’s New Vivid E9 Breakthrough 2012 Ultrasound with 4D TEE Probe

Gene Ostrovsky — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:16:01 +0000

GE Healthcare just received FDA clearance for and is bringing to market its new Vivid E9 Breakthrough 2012 (BT12) cardiovascular ultrasound system.

The new system includes a 4D transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) transducer, allowing for its use during invasive surgical procedures, as well as minimally invasive procedures in the cath lab.

Smiths Medical’s ViaValve Safety I.V. Catheter Coming This Summer to U.S.

Gene Ostrovsky — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:55:11 +0000

Smiths Medical just got approval from the FDA to introduce its ViaValve Safety I.V. Catheter in the US, a device that promises to help prevent blood exposure and needlestick injuries.

Workings of the device according to Smiths:

Spacelabs Introduces qube Patient Monitor and Arkon Anesthesia Delivery System

Wouter Stomp — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 18:03:03 +0000

Spacelabs Healthcare, a subsidiary of OSI Systems, is introducing the qube patient monitor and the Arkon high-performance anesthesia delivery system. Both devices recently received FDA clearance.

The qube is a portable monitor that is very similar to the company’s XPREZZON patient monitor. Essentially it is a small and lightweight version of the XPREZZON, with long battery life and is purposed for emergency, general and post-anesthesia care units. It is mountable in many configurations and can be quickly detached for transport.

In Study, Peripheral IV Catheter Shows Promise in Intravenous Therapy (video)

Brian Klein — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 16:34:50 +0000

The Powerwand peripheral intravenous (PIV) catheter from San Diego–based Access Scientific has been shown to be an effective alternative to central lines and standard PIVs in a recent study. The power-injectable extended dwell catheter achieved high levels of success in patients requiring long-term intravenous therapy in the peer-reviewed study, which was performed by researchers at the Center for Nursing Research at Orlando Health (Orlando, FL). Published in the Spring 2012 issue of the Journal of the Association for Vascular Access (JAVA), the study reported a low overall complication rate including lower thrombosis, catheter occlusion, phlebitis, and infiltration than with other reports of complications from studies on PIV outcomes.

The study also reported that, 95% of the time, the device was successfully placed on the first attempt in a population of patients with a history of difficult IV access.

Euclid Tier 1 Mini Access System for Precise Needle Placement Cleared in U.S.

Gene Ostrovsky — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:04:03 +0000

Texas-based Houston Medical Robotics received FDA clearance for its Euclid Tier 1 Mini Access System, which looks like a sextant for central venous catheter placement.

It provides a depth scale to adjust where you want it to go and fits standard ultrasound transducers for watching where the needle is heading.