Development of a 4Mhz suprasternal Doppler probe for cardiac output measurement

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The accurate measurement of Cardiac Output (CO), the volume of blood pumped/min, iscritical for clinicians to assess cardiovascular function & fluid status. Several invasive & noninvasive techniques are currently available to determine CO; however these possesslimitations with accuracy & suitability for use in all patient types. Deltex Medical (Deltex)currently manufactures a leading technology to assess CO using a 4MHz ultrasoundOesophageal Doppler Monitor (ODM). The technology is highly precise & has been widelydemonstrated to improve patient outcome. However the probe is placed into the oesophaguswhich can initiate a ‘gag reflex’. The oesophageal probe is therefore not well tolerated inawake patients. To address this issue, Deltex aims to develop a non invasive CO measurementsystem based on Doppler ultrasound that can be applied non-invasively at the suprasternalnotch. Such an approach has been adopted previously by both Deltex & a competitor(USCOM) using a reusable probe, resulting in issues with product sterility & high capitalcosts (see innovation question). Therefore, Deltex intends to develop the suprasternalultrasound technique using a disposable 4 MHz probe. This has the major added advantage ofbeing compatible with the company’s existing installed monitor base. The technology willinitially be targeted towards the Enhanced Recovery Programme used in surgery, & inintensive care, where success will reduce the length of hospital stay & associated healthcarecosts, & then extend CO measurement for use in new departments (e.g. cardiology, A&E,sports medicine, etc.). To date, Deltex has undertaken a pilot study to identify the optimalDoppler frequency, anatomical targets & begin verification of technical parameters such ashead size & signal resolution. With the intended development of the pre-production prototype& a clinical trial, Deltex expects accumulated sales of at least £10M over 5yrs.