BRANFORD, Conn., Oct. 27, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CAS Medical Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:CASM) today announced the presentation of a comparative study showing the superior accuracy of its FORE-SIGHT® Absolute Tissue Oximeter against other available oximeters. The study, led by Dr. Philip E. Bickler at the world renowned Hypoxia Research Laboratory at the University of California, San Francisco, was the first of its kind and was presented at last week's annual meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) in Chicago, IL.
Professor Bickler's abstract, entitled "Performance of 4 Cerebral Oximeters During Hypoxia in Healthy Volunteers," showed that the FORE-SIGHT Absolute Oximeter from CASMED had the greatest precision and accuracy of all monitors tested. This study is the first to compare accuracy performance of multiple cerebral oximeters on the same group of subjects using the same methods.
"This comprehensive study clearly demonstrates the superiority of FORE-SIGHT technology and confirms the differences in clinical performance that our customers report," said Thomas M. Patton, President and CEO of CASMED. "The improved accuracy of the FORE-SIGHT Oximeter can offer clinicians increased confidence to intervene appropriately in the care of their patients to prevent dangerous cerebral desaturation events."
Devices tested in the Bickler study included CASMED's FORE-SIGHT Absolute Tissue Oximeter, the INVOS® 5100C (Covidien, Boulder, CO, USA), the EQUANOX™ Model 7600 (Nonin Medical, Plymouth, MN, USA) with both EQUANOX Classic and Advance sensors, and the NIRO® 200NX (Hamamatsu Photonics, Hamamatsu City, Japan). The precision of the FORE-SIGHT Oximeter was reported as a standard deviation from an invasive reference and was the lowest at 3.92%, compared to a standard deviation of 9.72% for the INVOS 5100C.
Three additional studies demonstrating the benefits of the Company's FORE-SIGHT technology were presented at the ASA meeting and another four studies regarding FORE-SIGHT applications were presented at the adjoining meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in Anesthesiology and Critical Care (SNACC).
Also the first of its kind, doctors from Children's Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School published data showing high precision of the FORE-SIGHT Oximeter on the flank (lower back) of neonates and children. In that study, led by Dr. Barry Kussman, the doctors validated the FORE-SIGHT Oximeter readings in 65 newborns and children against blood samples drawn from invasive catheters. The study reports a high precision between the FORE-SIGHT and reference values. The abstract is entitled "Validation of the FORE-SIGHT Tissue Oximeter for Measurement of Somatic Oxygenation in Children" and was also presented at the ASA Annual Meeting.
"The clinical evidence in support of our FORE-SIGHT Oximeter continues to grow," Mr. Patton continued. "With these 8 new abstracts, there are now over 140 published studies, with many more underway worldwide, showing the benefit of FORE-SIGHT technology in various critical care applications for adults, children and newborns."
The ASA and SNACC annual meetings draw over 11,000 health care professionals from around the world seeking information on the latest products, services and technologies useful in the practice of anesthesia.
Links to these abstracts can be found on the Company's website at: www.absoluteoximetry.com.
Annotated Citation of Eight FORE-SIGHT Abstracts Presented at the ASA and SNACC
Performance of 5 Cerebral Oximeters during Hypoxia in Health Volunteers. Bickler PE, Feiner JR, Eilers H, Rollins M. University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA. (ASA #LBT07)
(see above summary)
Validation of the FORE-SIGHT Tissue Oximeter for Measurement of Somatic Oxygenation in Children. Kussman B, Laussen P, Benni P, McElhinney D, McGowan F. Children's Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. (ASA #LBC01)
(see above summary)
The Incidence of Cerebral Desaturation Events in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Following Cardiac Surgery. Greenberg SB, Garcia A, Fasanella R, Murphy G, Szokol J, Vender J. NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL. (ASA #A1454)
(Brain injury during cardiac surgery has been linked to cerebral ischemia. This report of 50 patients monitored with the FORE-SIGHT Oximeter is the first to show that cerebral desaturations are prevalent in the post-surgical ICU and are associated with multiple risks.)
NIRS Values Following Phlebotomy Support the Safety of Foregoing Volume Replacement. Winch PD, Naguib AN, Rice J, Tobias JD. Nationwide Children's Hospital Anesthesiology, Columbus, OH. (ASA #A209)
(Blood transfusions are costly and a source of patient risk. 21 patients were studied with the FORE-SIGHT Oximeter to assess a strategy limiting blood replacement. The study found that blood volume replacement could be individualized with evidence of declining cerebral perfusion as detected by the FORE-SIGHT Oximeter.)
Non-Invasive Monitoring of Absolute Cerebral Tissue Oxygen Saturation (FORE-SIGHT Technology) in Healthy Volunteers. Lathouwers K, DeDeyne C, Jans F, Meex I, DeSloovere V, Heylen R. Department of Anaesthesiology, Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg, Genk, Belgium and Faculty of Medicine, University Hasselt, Hasselt, Belgium. (SNACC 14-Oct-2011)
(102 healthy adults were assessed with FORE-SIGHT for cerebral oxygenation. FORE-SIGHT readings were found on all subjects from both brain hemispheres and ranged between 62% and 85%. This pool of nearly 46,000 data points could provide a reference for cerebral saturation levels in healthy patients and provide guidance for desaturation thresholds.)
Shivering during Induced Hypothermia after Cardiac Arrest Results in Significant Decrease in Non-Invasive Cerebral Oxygen Saturation as Measured by Near Infrared Spectroscopy. Meex I, DeDeyne C, Dens J, Jans F, Lathouwers K, Heylen R. Departments of Anaesthesiology and Cardiology, Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg, Genk, Belgium and Faculty of Medicine, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium. (SNACC 14-Oct-2011)
(Cooling therapy has been shown to reduce injury after insult to the brain. 16 patients were studied during ICU therapeutic hypothermia after cardiac arrest. Use of FORE-SIGHT demonstrated that imbalances can exist between brain oxygen supply and demand which provides insight into optimizing titration hypothermia in cardiac arrest patients.)
Cerebral Oxygenation Measured by NIRS FORE-SIGHT Technology Reveals Adequacy of Cerebral Perfusion during Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. Meex I, DeDeyne C, Jans F, Dens J, Lathouwers K, Heylen R. Departments of Anaesthesiology and Cardiology, Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg, Genk, Belgium and Faculty of Medicine, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium. (SNACC 14-Oct-2011)
(12 patients requiring external CPR after cardiac arrest were monitored for cerebral oxygenation. FORE-SIGHT provided real-time cerebral oxygenation and adequacy of cerebral perfusion during cardiac arrest and CPR.)
Monitoring of Effect of Supplemental Oxygen Administration during Locoregional Anesthesia on Cerebral Oxygenation as Measured by NIRS (FORE-SIGHT Technology). Lathouwers K, DeDeyne C, Jans F, Meex I, DeSloovere V, Heylen R. Department of Anaesthesiology, Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg, Genk, Belgium and Faculty of Medicine, University Hasselt, Hasselt, Belgium. (SNACC 14-Oct-2011)
(FORE-SIGHT was used on 25 healthy patients undergoing elective knee surgery to monitor the effects of mask oxygen therapy on cerebral oxygenation. Oxygen therapy increased cerebral oxygenation in this healthy population.)
About CASMED® - Monitoring What's Vital
CAS Medical Systems, Inc. is a leading developer and manufacturer of medical devices for non-invasive patient monitoring. The Company's FORE-SIGHT Absolute Tissue Oximeter is the only cerebral oximeter available with FDA clearance for non-invasive, continuous measurement of absolute cerebral tissue oxygen saturation for all patients – adult, pediatric and neonatal – regardless of age or weight. This information helps avert brain damage or death during surgery and in critical care situations by allowing clinicians to identify patients with dangerously low levels of cerebral oxygen and intervene to reverse the condition.
The Company's product lines include the high-acuity monitoring capabilities of the FORE-SIGHT Absolute Tissue Oximeter, and Traditional Vital Signs Monitoring, including bedside patient vital signs monitoring products, proprietary non-invasive blood pressure measurement technology, neonatal intensive care supplies, and service. CASMED products are designed to meet the needs of a full spectrum of patient populations worldwide, ranging from adults to pediatrics and neonates.
For further information regarding CAS Medical Systems, Inc., visit the Company's website at www.casmed.com.
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