Carag Tissue Oxygenation Monitoring System
The Carag Tissue Oxygenation Monitoring System (CTOM) is a new near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) device that allows accurate oxygenation measurement of the belly to prevent potentially severe complication in preterm babies. It is designed to detect life-threatening health concerns early.
Preterm babies can be monitored with CTOM with the goal to detect early signs of
- Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)
- Compensated shock
Until now abdominal NIRS measurements usually show a high degree of variability and therefore are not clinically useful. The reason are absorbers such as faeces and meconium, which are not taken into consideration by current NIRS instruments and interfere with the measurement. There is no instrument available today that is designed to measure the oxygenation of the abdomen correctly.
CTOM is designed to precisely, non-invasively and continuously monitor the oxygen saturation through the belly of preterm babies using near-infrared light. The proprietary CTOM algorithms analyze the reflected light and compensate the impact of intestinal content on the NIRS signal for optimal results and accuracy.
The CTOM sensor was designed based on extensive studies that assessed the optical characteristics of preterm babies' bellies and their intestinal content.
- A study with 12 preterm infants to investigate the safety and comfort of the sensor and the accuracy of the measurement has been completed
- Additional studies will commence shortly
NEC prevention
- NEC is the most common gastrointestinal emergency of preterm babies and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in this population. Studies show lower StO2 readings on the abdomen tied to NEC.
- Consequently, abdominal StO2 monitoring is a promising tool to help recognizing NEC and may serve clinicians as an additional tool in the decision process on further treatment.
Compensated shock
- Preterm infants often have unstable blood circulation. They are in so-called compensated shock - their vital organs receive enough oxygen, but peripheral and non-vital organs may already suffer from insufficient oxygenation.
- Since traditional monitoring only focuses on the vital organs, critical deterioration of the babies' status is often detected too late when the baby is already going into shock.
