FloPatch, the world’s first wireless wearable ultrasound device developed by a Canadian medical device company, Flosonic Medical, has been deployed in two critical care units at Toronto-based St. Michael’s Hospital for sepsis care, according to the company’s announcement.
The revolutionary device, which has US FDA and Health Canada clearance, features a wearable Doppler ultrasound patch, which enables doctors to assess real-time blood flow and guide fluid resuscitation in critically sick patients, including those suffering from shock and sepsis.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Sepsis is the third most commonly known cause of patient death in US hospitals, affecting about 1.7 million people annually.
How FloPatch Works
Flopatch is designed to adhere to the neck of the patient as soon as it’s attached over the carotid artery and immediately begins, providing clinical professionals with real-time blood flow data on every heartbeat.
The captured data is relayed remotely to a secure iOS app, on which healthcare professionals can access real-time Doppler data broken down using advanced analytics into crucial metrics for every heartbeat.
Such data is critical to informed and time-sensitive decision-making at the bedside, especially when handling intricate and urgent cases like sepsis. The novel ultrasound device provides a dynamic assessment that can quickly help healthcare professionals determine the patients’ responses to IV fluids.
Solving Challenges of Administering IV Fluids
Although critically sick patients always exhibit signs and symptoms of low blood flow and need IV fluids to increase stroke volume, IV fluids can result in adverse medical events, such as kidney injuries or pulmonary Edema. Therefore, knowing when such fluids are ineffective can lower the risks of downstream fluid overload.
When adhered to a patient’s neck, the device assesses the carotid artery Doppler pulse. Since any variation in carotid Doppler reflects changes in stroke volume, it enables clinicians to determine whether IV fluids are effective, reducing the risks of complications.
