Masimo Corporation (MASI) recently revealed positive data from a new clinical study evaluating its rainbow Acoustic Monitoring (RAM) technology for Acoustic Respiration Rate (RRa).The study showed that MASI’s RAM technology rapidly detects respiratory rate changes in anesthetized patients and may offer early identification of potential adverse events.
The study, published in the journal Anesthesia & Analgesia, entailed an evaluation of 50 complete data sets from patients undergoing elective urological surgical procedures in the operating room. It involved a comparison of 1,269 minutes of simultaneous data from the pneumotachograph signals (an apparatus for recording the rate of airflow to and from the lungs) and RRa.
Researchers found that under conditions of spontaneous ventilation during general anesthesia, RRa provides accurate estimates of respiratory rate changes over a wide range of rates. Researches also revealed that RRa tracks respiratory rate changes with minimal delay.
Thus, the authors concluded that by providing immediate knowledge of changes in respiratory rates, RRa may be a useful clinical monitoring indicator to facilitate early detection of respiratory compromise and patient distress.
How it Works
MASI’s RAM technology provides a method of continuous, non-invasive monitoring of respiration rate using an innovative adhesive sensor with an integrated acoustic transducer that can be easily applied to the patient's neck.
Using acoustic signal processing that leverages MASI's patented revolutionary Signal Extraction Technology (SET), the respiratory signal is separated and processed to display continuous acoustic respiration rates.
Comparison
Examiners of this study report several clinical drawbacks of monitors such as capnometry and thoracic impedance pneumography when compared with MASI’s RAM technology.
The shortcomings of capnometry include patient intolerance and high false alarm rates while limitations of thoracic impedance pneumography include susceptibility to artifact, potential inaccuracy and the inability to detect apnea (suspension of external breathing).
Several other studies have shown that RAM is responsive to changes in respiration rate and is superior to capnography in detecting respiratory pause. Other studies hold that it has similar accuracy to capnography (monitoring the concentration of exhaled carbon dioxide to determine the adequacy of ventilation during anesthesia) and has greater patient tolerance than capnography in various patient populations.
Currently, MASI carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked medical instrument stocks include Alphatec Holdings, Inc. (ATEC), ERBA Diagnostics, Inc. (ERB) and RTI Surgical Inc. (RTIX). All these stocks sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
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