Noninvasive Monitor to Measure Cardiac Output

A new method to measure cardiac output without actually catheterizing the heart will provide data on cardiovascular health without the cost and risk associated with current invasive procedures.

The FloWave 1000 noninvasive cardiac monitor uses a single pair electrocardiogram (ECG) lead (one on each shoulder or forearm) and a dual pulse oximetry (SpO2) sensor to collect the data, and a proprietary algorithm to extrapolate cardiac output, a key indicator of cardiovascular health. The radiometric measurements allow determinations without the need for external calibrations, and the readings are immediate, continuous, and consistent. The stand-alone device can be used to complement existing patient monitoring equipment, and it can be placed on a mobile cart or on any flat surface. Conditions that can be monitored with the system include heart failure, hypertension, coronary artery disease, lung and pleural disease with effusion, and other conditions in which monitoring cardiac output is important. The FloWave 1000 is under development by Woolsthorpe Technologies (Brentwood, TN, USA).

The device is undergoing clinical trials at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center (Nashville, TN, USA), the Saint Thomas Research Institute (Nashville, TN, USA), and the Texas Heart Institute (Houston, TX, USA), where results are being compared to the standard Swan-Ganz invasive pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) procedure.


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Woolsthorpe Technologies