ivWatch Finds Strong Ally in Philips to Monitor Peripheral IVs

When it comes to peripheral intravenous (IV) therapy, doctors and nurses have come to accept that things might not go smoothly. Nearly 80% of hospital patients in the U.S. receive an IV — a procedure that has a startling 50% fail rate. ivWatch, the only provider of continuous non-invasive monitoring devices that can detect IV infiltrations and extravasations, hopes to curb those numbers after announcing that their devices will now be compatible with Philips Intellivue Patient Monitors. “For too long IV infiltration has been an accepted outcome of peripheral intravenous therapy,” says Gary Warren, president and CEO of ivWatch. “Similar to continuous monitors available for a patient’s heart and blood oxygen levels, ivWatch provides a first-of-its-kind, FDA-cleared, noninvasive medical device that continuously monitors peripheral IVs for infiltration and extravasation events. ivWatch has a standalone device (ivWatch model 400) and comprehensive OEM solution that significantly improves the level of quality and patient safety through early detection of this common complication.” The ivWatch model 400 was designed to use light to monitor a patient’s subcutaneous tissue and can measure the changes in the optical properties. The device can essentially become a clinician’s partner by continuously monitoring for infiltrations, and sending an alert when the system detects an infiltration — enabling the clinician to inspect the IV site and intervene. With the company...
Source: MDDI - Category: Medical Devices Authors: Tags: IV Products Source Type: news