Pulse oximetry is widely accepted as a standard measurement of a patient’s oxygen saturation and heart rate because it can give clinicians an early warning of low arterial oxygen saturation levels.
But low body temperature and low blood perfusion can cause conventional pulse oximeters to report inaccurate measurements or even no measurement at all. To avoid this problem, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has developed a novel device to provide reliable pulse oximetry measurements in patients with low body temperature.
The device consists of a pulse oximeter probe integrated into a bandage-like harness, which contains a chemical energy heating source. The probe could either be designed as either a single-use or a reusable one.
The global market for pulse oximeters is expected to increase to $575 million by 2015, with an estimated annual growth rate of six to eight percent. Growth in the pulse oximetry market is driven by ongoing adoption of low perfusion, motion-tolerant technology, greater need for patient monitoring, increased reliability, improved detection algorithms, and the ability to reject false alarms.
The VA is seeking a partner for further development and commercialization of this technology through a license. VA inventors are available to collaborate with interested companies through a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA).
