Medgadget » Critical Care

Analogic Releases New BK Medical Ultrasounds

Gene Ostrovsky — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:39:19 +0000

Analogic has announced the worldwide launch of three new ultrasound systems from its subsidiary BK Medical, the Pro Focus UltraView 800, the Flex Focus 800, and the Flex Focus 500.

All three models sport the company’s “Quantum Technology” that provides high resolution visualization of the tissues.

Continuous Near-Infrared Regional Cerebral Perfusion Monitoring Shows Promise in Stroke Patients

Jan Sinnige — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:47:02 +0000

Researchers at Mayo Clinic in Florida have shown that cerebral optically-based near infra-red spectroscopic oximetry applied to patients who have suffered a stroke can help monitor regional cerebral perfusion in real time, and thus “may serve as a useful, noninvasive, bedside intensive care unit monitoring tool to assess brain oxygenation in a direct manner.” The study looked at the device called Fore-Sight from Casmed of Branford, CT, that measures blood oxygen, similar to a finger clip pulse oximeter. The Mayo study results have been published in Journal of Neurosurgery this month.

Regional cerebral blood flow monitoring devices such as Fore-Sight are already in wide deployment in cardiac surgery, where they are thought to prevent brain ischemia in patients undergoing major surgeries on bypass (valve replacements, aortic arch surgeries, etc.).

Ivera Medical’s Curos Port Protector Gets Expanded FDA Clearance

Gene Ostrovsky — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:58:59 +0000

Ivera Medical Corporation out of San Diego, CA received a new FDA 510(k) clearance for its Curos disinfecting port protector, after the company confirmed a shorter disinfection time and an increase in how long the device can be used.

According to the company, independent tests have shown that the cap disinfects IV access ports in three minutes, keeping them clean for seven days when not accessed.

Philips Unveils Compact Xper Flex Cardio Physiomonitoring

Gene Ostrovsky — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:26:47 +0000

Yesterday Philips announced its new Xper Flex Cardio Physiomonitoring system for intraoperative hemodynamic analysis.

The device provides clinicians with Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) measurements, as well as ECG, respiration, and other vitals. It features both 12 and 16-lead ECG analysis, giving more options when working in the EP, cath labs, and during more invasive procedures.

Hidalgo Unveils Equivital EQ02 LifeMonitor

Gene Ostrovsky — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:11:37 +0000

Hidalgo out of Cambridge, England has released its new wireless Equivital EQ02 LifeMonitor that can continuously record ECG, respiratory rate, skin temperature, and activity levels in patients. Data is analyzed using special software for PCs, web and mobile devices and can provide real-time results that can be immediately acted upon by clinicians.

Hidalgo’s technology has already been in use by UK’s Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue, Addenbrooke’s hospital, and the US Marine Corps in Iraq where wireless, mobile, and easy to use devices save the day.

First App to be Registered as Class I Medical Device in the UK

Stanley Darma — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:20:46 +0000

A couple of months ago we mentioned Mersey Burns, an app which enables a quick, accurate calculation of the amount of fluids to be administered after burn injuries. Now this software is the first app to have received approval as a medical device from the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

Mersey Burns was created by Chris Seaton from the University of Manchester: it was developed further within the Mersey Plastic Surgery Unit. The app is available for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. To calculate the fluid protocol, the app requires input of the areas that are burned and patient information such as weight, height and age. Down below you can see a video on how the app works.

Masimo’s Prick-Free Pronto-7 for Painless Hemoglobin Spot Checking

Gene Ostrovsky — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:12:59 +0000

Masimo received FDA 510(k) clearance for the Pronto-7 device that allows for quick and noninvasive bedside checking of total hemoglobin (SpHb), SpO2, pulse rate, and perfusion index. This is a unique tool that makes finger pricking and direct blood sampling unnecessary when watching patients’ hemoglobin levels, either in OR or in critical care settings.

The Pronto-7 already received the European CE mark back in 2010, but conducted a recall when the sensor was found to work poorly in low temperature. The issue was addressed and the device was reintroduced in August of last year.

Vioguard Self-Sanitizing Keyboard Bathes Itself in Ultraviolet Light to Kill the Germs

Wouter Stomp — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:12:02 +0000

Vioguard has received FDA clearance for a self-sanitizing computer keyboard that uses the germicidal properties of ultraviolet light (UV-C) to automatically clean its surfaces, eliminating many harmful viruses and germs.

The keyboard protracts into a light-tight enclosure which bathes it in germ-killing light. It has a standard USB connection and also includes a multitouch trackpad.

AirStrip Receives CE Mark for Mobile Monitoring Solutions

Wouter Stomp — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:59:56 +0000

AirStrip Technologies has received European CE Mark certification for its mobile patient monitoring applications. The apps provide mobile access to vital live and historical patient data including waveforms, ECGs and other information and it received FDA clearance last August. Applications currently available include AirStrip OB, AirStrip Cardiology and AirStrip Patient Monitoring. AirStrip Cardiology was recently featured as the best US medical application for the iPhone as part of Apple’s App Store Rewind 2011.

Airstrip Cardiology and Patient Monitoring are available for iOS devices only, while Airstrip OB is available for almost all current mobile platforms including iOS, Android, Blackberry and Windows Mobile. In addition to the physicians installing the apps on their mobile devices, the hospital must purchase the interface, server and individual subscriptions from AirStrip for the system to operate.

Company Claims Optical Blood Pressure Monitor Breakthrough

Gene Ostrovsky — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:20:54 +0000

Tarilian Laser Technologies, a Hertfordshire, UK firm claims it has developed the “greatest technological advance in blood pressure measurement for 130 years” Unlike direct pressure measurement that every other BP meter does, the company’s Sapphire device uses an optical sensor to continuously measure blood pressure at the wrist. Keeping the Sapphire stationary will provide beat-to-beat readings and Tarilian says the device can effectively be used to detect white coat hypertension (raised blood pressure due to patient being in a clinical setting).

The company believes this technology can be translated for non-contact measurement of intraocular pressure, fetal heart monitoring, and for blood pressure monitoring using small mobile devices at different spots on the body.