New monitoring device for perfusion monitoring
Hutchinson's InSpectra StO2 Tissue Oxygenation Monitor - a portable device for treatment of trauma patients.
Peter Ickert (seated with Daniela Zimmermann) joined Hutchinson Inc as Marketing Director for Europe six months ago; he is now General Manager for Europe
The novel monitor, which measures oxygen saturation in tissue with near-infrared spectroscopy, is one of these. ‘The conventional non-invasive device, the pulse oximeter, measures only the hemoglobin oxygen saturation in the arteries. However, our product measures the oxygen in the tissue,’ he pointed out. ‘The crucial question when measuring oxygen saturation is: Does the oxygen get to the point where it is needed, namely the tissue?’
The InSpectra is primarily targeted at the trauma and emergency medicine market. ‘In that segment it’s above all the bleeding patients who benefit from it. In a trauma situation it’s very difficult to determine whether a body is sufficiently perfused. This is something that ultimately requires an invasive procedure and delay time in obtaining lab results’ he explained. ‘So a fast and non-invasive device, which on top of everything provides continuous reading, is crucial for those patients. The InSpectra generates reliable results in only 20 seconds, which means that some trips to the lab are no longer necessary. The device continuously records the values in two-second intervals, so that the oxygen saturation history in the tissue can be tracked. So, it’s currently for use throughout trauma care.
‘Unlike in the US, in Europe that includes emergency response, because here the trauma patient receives complete first treatment at the accident site.’
So the device is part of the ambulance equipment, then moves into a hospital with the patient and emergency doctor?
‘Yes. InSpectra is part of the emergency chain, at present primarily in intensive care units (ICUs) and shock rooms. However, in Germany and France we are in the process of evaluating the system in ambulances and emergency doctors’ vehicles.
The emergency market is quite saturated, so who, in particularly would want the InSpectra?
‘Everyone who wants to know whether a patient’s tissue is sufficiently saturated with oxygen and whether that saturation is not being compromised by unrecognised haemorrhages. The trauma team can only react in time if this is known - and with the help of this device it can react much earlier than before. We offer continuous measurement, which means changes can be recognised in real-time – and non-invasively! That means the device can be used on the spot, by an ambulance team.’
In that field of application it is necessary to get readings fast. How was that solved?
‘Yes, time is crucial. Our procedure is very simple: you just have to apply a sensor to the patient’s thenar eminence – and that’s something every trained trauma team member can do.
Contact: biom.eu@hti.htch.com;
More information: www.htibiomeasurement.com
This article was published on 08/31/2007
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