FEATURED VIDEO

The Passy-Muir® Tracheostomy and Ventilator Swallowing and Speaking Valves have the only patented closed position "no leak" design which enables the valve to close automatically at peak inspiration, not requiring expiratory pressure to close it. Watch this video to see how the valve works and understand the numerous clinical benefits that are FDA indicated and supported by independent research including: restored communication, improved swallow which may decrease aspiration, improved secretion management, improved oxygenation, and expedited weaning and decannulation. Visit the following links for additional animation including ventilator application of the Passy-Muir Valve.

More Passy-Muir videos at:
http://www.passy-muir.com/clinician_information.aspx
Passy-Muir Website: www.passy-muir.com
Email: info@passy-muir.com

NEWS

NEWS

FDA Clearance
Instrumentation Laboratory (IL) announced that it has received clearance from the FDA to market the first-ever, rapid point-of-care, lab-quality blood test for measuring total bilirubin (tBili) in newborns. The new tBili assay is performed on IL’s GEM Premier 4000 critical care analyzer. It allows clinicians to receive lab-quality test results in 90 seconds from whole blood in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), rather than waiting up to an hour for results from the lab, using traditional chemistry methods. tBili assays performed on the GEM Premier 4000 are not affected by moderate turbidity or hemolysis, ensuring accuracy. Additionally, from a single whole blood sample, a full range of analytes can be measured, including Blood Gas, Electrolytes, Glucose, Lactate and full CO-Oximetry, for an efficient and comprehensive assessment of patient status. IL announced the FDA clearance of the tBili assay at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry in Anaheim, CA. At the meeting, IL also introduced GEMweb Plus Custom Connectivity, software for automated information management. GEMweb Plus is the only software to provide system-wide, bi-directional capabilities from any networked PC of GEM Premier 4000 analyzer. GEMweb Plus provides complete control of all networked analyzers, regardless of location, to enhance quality assurance and regulatory compliance. GEM Premier 4000 critical care analyzer provides blood gas, electrolyte and metabolite analysis with integrated CO-Oximetry testing. It features IL’s patented Intelligent Quality Management (iQM), a real-time, automated, quality assurance system that continuously detects, corrects and documents, to assure quality results and compliance, 24/7, regardless of operator or testing location. iQM, coupled with its cartridge-based technology and ease of use, allows the GEM Premier 4000 analyzer to provide consistent, accurate, lab-quality results throughout the hospital. Products mentioned above are trademarks of Instrumentation Laboratory Company and/or one of its subsidiaries or parent companies. Contact www.ilus.com.

FDA Approval
Epocal, Inc, a leading edge provider of point of care technology, announced today that it has received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance to market its new lactate test on the epoc Blood Analysis System. Lactate measurements from the epoc System are used to evaluate acid-base status and for diagnosis and treatment of lactic acidosis (abnormally high acidity of the blood). The addition of lactate to the epoc BGEM Test Card, which includes in vitro diagnostic tests for pH, pO2, pCO2, Na, K, iCa, Hct and Glu (plus calculated values), further expands the clinical utility of the company's point of care blood gas and electrolyte platform. Lactate on the BGEM Test Card represents the second metabolite cleared for use on the epoc System in the past 12 months. It is also the ninth measured analyte on the single-use test card, surpassing most competitive point of care systems which may require multiple test devices in order to match the same menu. Epocal, Inc develops, manufactures and markets the epoc Blood Analysis System. epoc (enterprise point of care) is healthcare's first cost effective point of care testing solution to leverage SmartCard technology and the power of wireless communication to provide critical caregivers with real-time, laboratory quality test results at the patient's bedside. Contact www.epocal.com.

Comprehensive Education
Teleflex Medical announced the introduction of a comprehensive education program in respiratory therapy, designed to provide an in-depth curriculum focused on maximizing humidification and minimizing challenges through the therapeutic levels outlined in the Respiratory Pyramid of Care. The courses are accredited by the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC). The program’s four modules cover humidification basics, passive humidification, active humidification and navigating the Respiratory Pyramid of Care and its five therapeutic levels that form the basis for effective, informed management of patients who require oxygen therapy and/or ventilatory support. Through the sponsorship of Teleflex Medical, an expert panel of respiratory therapy thought leaders was assembled to form the Council for Advances in Respiratory Therapy. Clinical contributors from this group were charged with the development of the content for this education curriculum based upon an extensive literature review to summarize current evidence and best practices. The program is designed to provide practical solutions for clinicians and joins other clinical education offerings from Teleflex Medical, including programs for vessel health and preservation and regional anesthesia best practices. Contact teleflexmedical.com

Babi.Plus™ Bubble PAP Valve
B&B Medical Technologies has introduced the first FDA (510k) cleared bubble continuous Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) valve for use with infants weighing <10 kg. The unique design of the new Babi.Plus Bubble PAP Valve 0–10 cm H2O allows airway pressure to be easily set without the cumbersome and time consuming tasks normally associated with bubble cpap devices. Babi.Plus Bubble PAP Valve provides a safe, accurate and convenient method for delivering CPAP therapy to premature infants to increase end lung pressure above atmospheric in constant flow conditions. The patent-pending Babi.Plus Bubble PAP Valve is adjustable from 1 to 10 cm H2O with an accuracy of ± 1 cm of H2O using gas flows from 1 to 12 liters per minute. A 360 degree swivel inlet accepts 15 mm OD and 22 mm ID circuit connectors for easy installation to the expiratory limb of the breathing circuit. A fluid level adjustment port allows water or acetic acid levels to be easily maintained without disconnecting the circuit or loss of PAP. The expiratory ports direct gas quietly away from clinicians. Contact bandb-medical.com.

Siemens RAPIDLab® 1200
Siemens RAPIDLab® 1200 series of blood gas analyzers offers neonatal bilirubin (nBili) point of care testing with 60 second turnaround time,detects elevated levels of bilirubin. If undetected, this condition can lead to a variety of health issues in newborn infants, from jaundice to neurological disorders, and in severe cases, brain damage.

Siemens neonatal bilirubin (nBili) test requires 100uL sample of whole blood, measuring 2 - 30 mgdl and does not require any sample preparation, while providing fast and accurate results and does not increase monthly operating costs. Siemens RAPIDLab systems, nBili testing is conducted as part of a neonatal test panel that includes blood gas, pH, electrolytes, metabolites, total hemoglobin and CO-oximetry, with no additional reagents needed for nBili testing. For additional information, visit www.usa.siemens.com/bloodgas.

Slaying Sepsis
Saving Lives with Faster and Better Treatment, presented by Dr Jeffrey C. Fried, will be featured on Wednesday, November 4, at 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. eastern time as part of Instrumentation Laboratory's ILuminations Webinar Series. Dr Fried is Chief Medical Director, Adult Critical Care, Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, Santa Barbara, CA. Participants can receive a credit of 1 Professional Education Program hour through ASCLS/AARC. The program offers information about the critical components in achieving early diagnosis of sepsis and septic shock. Dr Fried will discuss the relationship between rapid treatment and mortality, including the use of lactate measurements in early diagnosis, and he will present a real-life scenario featuring Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. The session will conclude with an open Q&A session. The webinar is free. Registration is at http://www.ilus.com/illuminations

PRESS RELEASE

HHS and AARC Conduct Massive Inventory of Nation’s Mechanical Ventilators
DALLAS, TX — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has contracted with the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) to perform a comprehensive inventory of mechanical ventilators in all of our nation’s hospitals.

The Office of Preparedness and Response is urgently requesting this inventory as the nation braces for the nH1N1 virus that may affect record numbers of Americans. Initial experience shows that many individuals are placed on ventilators as a result of this flu.

With no accurate current accounting of the ventilators that would be available in a nationwide pandemic, the government is asking the AARC to immediately assist in performing a survey inventory.

All information will be kept in confidence and it will not be available through the Freedom of Information Act. No relocation of ventilators will be performed; the information is sought so that the government can acquire or assist in augmenting current ventilator capacity.

Information on filling out the surveys has been sent to each hospital in the U.S., addressed to the Manager of Respiratory Care. “We are urging all hospitals to immediately begin this survey,” said Timothy Myers, AARC President. He adds, “We hope to have this data gathered by September 10. “There is an urgency to the effort,” said Myers. In order for this to be successful every ventilator must be counted.

To take the survey and access more information on the project, go to: www.aarc.org/nvs/

New Heliox DISS regulators provide cost effective solution for low flow Heliox therapy, high pressure gas delivery by eliminating need for two separate regulators.

June 29, 2009 - CARLSBAD, CA - B&B Medical Technologies has introduced two new medical grade Heliox regulators with DISS fittings. The compact and versatile Heliox 70/30 DISS and Heliox 80/20 DISS regulators will help medical facilities reduce costs by eliminating the need for two separate regulators for low flow Heliox therapy and high pressure gas delivery devices.

Designed for use in critical care, special procedure units and emergency departments, the B&B regulators are easy to set up with either 70/30 or 80/20 Heliox H cylinders. Calibrated for delivery of precise flow and MRI compatible, no conversion or calibration of flow is needed to determine accurate Heliox flow. Easy to set up on H cylinders, the permanent O-ring design eliminates the need for a washer and provides hand tight seal at the yoke connection.

The Heliox 70/30 DISS and Heliox 80/20 DISS regulators combine a calibrated “click style” flowmeter with barbed nipple for flows up to 25 Lpm plus an additional 50 psi male air connector for ventilator and other high pressure applications. Each regulator has a built-in unique color coded tank pressure indicator with 0-3000 psi operating range. The CGA yoke connector has a special inlet filter and all-brass construction in the high-pressure zones. The regulators are single stage, piston type with backpressure compensation and internal relief valve. The Heliox 70/30 DISS Regulator and the Heliox 80/20 DISS Regulator provide a complete system for simultaneous and independent delivery of metered constant flow Heliox and regulated high pressure gas.

The Heliox 70/30 DISS Regulator (part number 11373) and the Heliox 80/20 DISS Regulator (part number 11382) are available from finer specialty care distributors.

About B&B Medical Technologies
Since 1985, B&B Medical Technologies has developed clinically proven endotracheal tube holders, tracheostomy anti-disconnect devices, nebulizers and Heliox regulators for adult, pediatric and infant patients. B&B products offer versatile applications for critical care, anesthesia, emergency, transport, home care and alternate site care. In additional to the new Heliox regulators, B&B Medical Technologies’ product line includes the Sil.Flex Stoma Pad™, StabilTube™, LockTite™, E.T.Tape II™, Bite Blocks, TrachGuard™, TrachStay™, NEO2-SAFE™, The Test Lung™ and the HOPE™ Nebulizer. B&B products are safe, versatile, convenient and cost-effective.

Visit www.BandB-Medical.com for information about all B&B products and for downloadable application assistance documents.

For More Information, Please Contact:
Beth Keifer, Vice President, Sales and Marketing
B&B Medical Technologies
Telephone: 1.760.929.9972
Toll Free: 1.800.242.8778

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