Anesthetist Survey Highlights Future Technologies

A recent Europe-wide survey of anesthetists has revealed a range of issues affecting the profession in relation to existing and future technologies.

The survey, conducted by Creative Medical Research (Ipswich, United Kingdom) included 104 anesthetists from western, northern, and southern Europe who were asked a number of pertinent questions concerning the nature of current technologies, and those expected to come on stream in the near future, with the answers providing a clear snapshot of priorities for medical device manufacturers.

The answers revealed that cardiac output monitors were the most widely mentioned devices, specifically citing the recent growth in use of less invasive methods that employ ultrasound as a measurement tool and so avoid the use of an arterial catheter. Regional anesthesia was also among the top topics mentioned, with the hot topic being the rising use of ultrasound for nerve localization. Other significant trends observed were depth of anesthesia monitoring and airway technologies, particularly new developments in video-laryngoscopy allowing for enhanced visualization of the glottic opening during intubation.

The anesthetists were then asked to submit three areas in which device safety could be improved. Patient monitoring was the clear leader from responses garnered with airway management, general anesthesia (GA), and peripheral nerve block proving to be three further priorities. When asked why they felt device safety needed improving, the area of patient monitoring uncovered concerns such as the high frequency of artifacts, false alarms, the need for more reliable noninvasive measurements, and increased reliability in depth of anesthesia monitoring.

When questioned regarding the use of wireless technologies, the responses were defined as simplifying the transfer process, reducing clutter around the patient, enabling data capture for patients in remote locations, and the mitigation of the risk of monitoring devices being pulled out or disconnected. Sp02 monitoring was deemed the most desirable wireless technology application, with wireless electrocardiogram (ECG) and noninvasive blood pressure monitoring featuring prominently.

The final question, regarding what wireless patient monitoring would look like in the ideal future, elicited a number of constructive responses. The ideal system, it seems, would comprise of wireless, noninvasive probes on the patient reliably linked via WiFi to display devices. Other clear visions included portable “iPad style” touch screen display devices and an online cloud to which monitoring data could be uploaded.

“This is certainly a very comprehensive example of anesthetist-focused market research and the answers we have received provide a lot of food for thought for medical device manufacturers when it comes to future developments and future proofing,” said Sarah Mackinnon, anesthesiology expert at CMR. “The constructive nature of the respondents’ input creates a very clear path forward and a vision of what anesthesia will look like in years to come.”

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Creative Medical Research