Pneumacare awarded CE mark for revolutionary respiratory
measurement systems
27 July 2011
Cambridge-based PneumaCare Limited has announced that it has
been awarded the CE mark for its novel PneumaScan devices
that use 3D imaging technology for measuring and assessing
respiration.
"Passing this important milestone allows PneumaCare to launch into
full clinical use of the PneumaScan. Doctors can now begin to take
advantage of PneumaScan’s entirely non-contact approach to medical
measurement to the benefit of patients," says Dr Simon Baker,
PneumaCare’s product manager. "Clinical and commercial use of PneumaScan
has already started at Papworth and Addenbrooke’s Hospitals in
Cambridge, and Sheffield Children’s Hospital. It will soon begin at the
John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, as well as other clinics in the UK
and Europe."
The CE Marking approval process certified that
PneumaCare is in full quality compliance with European Union (EU)
Directives for Medical Devices in the design, production, sales and
services for the PneumaScan Structured Light Plethysmography instrument
and accessories.
"The fact that we have achieved this within only two years is
attributable to the unusually focused cooperation between the
clinicians, researchers and engineers involved in the PneumaScan’s
design and production," commented Dr Ward Hills, PneumaCare’s CEO.
The PneumaScan products are revolutionary non–contact
respiratory monitoring systems that have the huge advantage of being
able to provide richer information on a broader patient population
swiftly and relatively easily. A major benefit is that by using
PneumaScan, patients can be assessed while breathing naturally without
the need to breathe into, interact with, or have any contact with the
apparatus. This non-contact assessment reduces both the risk of
infection and instrument running costs. The ease of use also allows
PneumaScan to be used with a much larger portion of the population than
other approaches.
"Because it’s simple, fast and compact, this non-invasive technology
has great potential for a range of specialties, including anaesthetics
and the emergency department," said Dr Richard Iles, a consultant in
respiratory and paediatric medicine at Addenbrooke’s Hospital and
PneumaCare’s Chief Medical Officer. "It will be particularly valuable in
the clinic for patients under the age of six with problems like cystic
fibrosis and asthma. In addition, many adult lung conditions like COPD
may begin in early childhood, so if PneumaScan makes it possible for us
to identify them earlier, we will be able to start treatment earlier."
PneumaScan is already being used in clinics, pre- and post-operative
assessments, drug testing, and device development by both public and
private health care providers. Further applications of PneumaCare’s
proprietary Structured Light Plethysmography technology, developed in
close partnership with the clinical community, include home care,
neonatal, critical care, and rehabilitation applications.
Source: PneumaScan.