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| Dr. John Murkin with the CerOx device--Courtesy of Paul Mayne/Western News |
As the med tech industry casts its eye toward innovative neurological devices that improve patient outcomes, researchers are honing in on a noninvasive technology that could protect against fatal complications by measuring blood flow in the brain.
Scientists at Western and Lawson Health Research Institute (LHRI) are studying CerOx (Ornim Medical, Israel), a device that monitors cerebral blood flow and helps doctors and nurses evaluate brain perfusion in real time, MedicalXpress reports. Researchers have used near-infrared light to measure oxygen saturation in the brain for 30 years, but the technology offers a way to track blood flow to the brain in vulnerable patient populations and potentially reduce fatalities such as strokes, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry professor Dr. John Murkin told MedicalXpress.
"We've seen the potential of the machine and we're convinced it works," Murkin said. "If you don't know what's going on in the brain, you can't help. But … if you can monitor in real time, you can act in real time."
The research comes on the heels of government and clinical initiatives seeking innovative products to treat neurological disorders and fatal brain injuries. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) unveiled a new project to spur development of a brain implant that could diagnose and treat memory loss from traumatic brain injury. In July, the DOD awarded a four-year grant of up to $40 million to two academic research institutions creating next-generation neurological devices. Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, will receive up to $15 million to develop its miniature neuromodulation implant, and scientists at the University of Pennsylvania will use a $22.5 million funding infusion to further its neural stimulation and monitoring system.
Meanwhile, the industry has taken note and is working with government agencies to roll out devices for neurological disorders and traumatic brain injury. In July, DOD said it would implant NeuroPace's neurostimulator in epilepsy patients as part of its Restoring Active Memory Initiative. In August, Abbott Laboratories ($ABT) and the DOD announced a $19.5 million collaboration to develop a test to quickly evaluate concussions with a handheld system.
- read the MedicalXpress article