Alternative Blood Pressure System

A study has found that a sensor-based, noninvasive blood pressure measuring device is a reliable alternative to cuff and direct arterial blood pressure measurement during routine surgery cases.

The study on Vasotrac was conducted at the Children's Hospital of Boston (MA, USA) by Mary E. McCann, M.D. and colleagues. Their collective conclusion stated that "Our data suggest that the Vasotrac system correlates closely with intra-arterial blood pressure monitoring in anesthetized children under normotensive conditions in the prone position and during pharmacologic-induced hypotension.”

Based on these results, the researchers concluded that Vasotrac is a reliable alternative to cuff and direct arterial blood pressure measurement during routine surgical cases. Vasotrac is the product of Medwave, Inc. (Danvers, MA, USA; www.medwave.com). The company has received regulatory clearance to market its technology in the United States, Europe, and Asia. To date, a number of versions are installed in more than 500 hospitals and clinics worldwide.

In a previous report on children who had congenital cardiac surgery, the investigators had demonstrated agreement between the Vasotrac measurements and those obtained from direct intra-arterial blood pressure monitoring, but that comparison was performed once patients were in stable condition after cardiac surgery. The new test was performed to test Vasotrac in children undergoing scoliosis surgery, under wide blood fluctuations, surgical blood loss, and in a different patient position.

"We have had studies presented and published regarding the use of our technology with pediatric patients and obese patients, and in emergency medicine environments,” noted Tim O'Malley, president and CEO of Medwave. "All completed studies thus far have rendered positive results in which our technology has performed extremely well.”





Related Links:
Children's Hospital of Boston
Medwave