SBIR-STTR Award

Multimonitors for ECG, temperature, heart sounds, and breath sounds will be fabricated on endotracheal tubes and bench tested. The capability of monitoring multiple physiologic parameters from a single anatomic site (the trachea) is cost efficient in terms of current practice and will provide better patient care. The multimonitor endotracheal tubes will be tested in sheep and dogs and the physiologic signals compared simultaneously with conventional monitoring techniques.

Thesaurus Terms:
Biomedical Engineering, Instrumentation Clinically Oriented, Biomedical Systems Automated, Patient Monitoring (Monitoring Devices), Heart Disorders Diagnosis, Electrocardiography Monitor, Heart Disorders Diagnosis, Heart Sound Measurements, Respiratory Disorders Diagnosis, Respiratory Airflow Measurements, Respiratory System, Trachea, Temperature Measurement Health Care Services, Patient Care, Critical Care, Health Care Services, Patient Care, Emergency Care Mammals, Artiodactyla, Sheep National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

A multimonitor endotracheal tube with sensors for ECG, temperature, heart sounds, and breath sounds was developed in Phase I studies and feasibility clearly demonstrated in dog experiments. ECG signals, heart and breath sounds, and temperature measured from a single anatomic site-the trachea-compared favorably with conventional monitors-surface ECG leads, esophageal stethoscope, and esophageal temperature. A Doppler attached to the endotracheal tube provided beat-to-beat heart and vascular sounds and sensitive detection of blood turbulence and/or minute quantities of vascular air.Phase II studies will refine these sensors, evaluate additional sensors on the endotracheal tube and perform toxicity studies on trachealsensor interface sites and complete durability testing. In conjunction with a large U.S. tracheal tube manufacturer, a family of multirnonitor endotracheal tubes will be fabricated and tested for human clinical trials. A disposable, cost-efficient, sensitive multimonitor endotracheal tube will replace many of the current individual vital signs monitoring devices.

Thesaurus Terms:
Biomedical Engineering, Instrumentation Clinically Oriented, Biomedical Systems Automated, Patient Monitoring (Monitoring Devices), Cardiovascular Disorders Diagnosis, Blood Flow Measurements, Ultrasonic, Heart Disorders Diagnosis, Electrocardiography Monitor, Heart Disorders Diagnosis, Heart Sound Measurements, Respiratory Disorders Diagnosis, Respiratory Airflow Measurements, Respiratory System, Trachea, Temperature Measurement Health Care Services, Patient Care, Critical Care, Health Care Services, Patient Care, Emergency Care Mammals, Carnivores, Dogs National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)