Researchers From Around the World Present Studies of Bispectral Index Monitoring at the American Society of Anesthesiologists Annual Meeting This Week in Dallas

DALLAS (PROTEXT) - Technology Utilized in at Least 49 Abstracts on Diverse Clinical Topics Researchers from 12 countries are presenting studies about Bispectral Index(R) (BIS(R)) monitoring at the annual meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), October 9-13 in Dallas. BIS monitoring, developed by Aspect Medical Systems, Inc. (Natick, Mass.), is the only measure of the effects of anesthetics on the brain commercially available in the United States. Forty-nine abstracts involving BIS monitoring in a variety of clinical settings, including the operating room, intensive care unit, dental office, and cardiac surgery suite, will be presented. To date, more than 150 BIS-related abstracts have been presented at ASA. "These studies further demonstrate the utility of BIS monitoring for a range of procedures and in a variety of surgical settings," said Paul Manberg, Ph.D., Vice President of Clinical, Regulatory, and Quality Assurance at Aspect Medical Systems. "The widespread use of BIS monitoring as a standard measure in anesthesia research reflects the growing clinical use of the technology whenever anesthetic or sedative agents are given." Clinical studies to date have demonstrated that the use of the BIS monitor during surgical procedures facilitates reduced drug use, faster and more consistent patient wake-up times after surgery, and improved patient recovery from anesthesia. Key findings from studies being presented at this year's ASA reveal the usefulness of BIS monitoring for diverse patient populations: - Elderly: Decreases isoflurane utilization during orthopedic surgery in elderly patients, contributing to improved recovery profiles in this population. (Toronto Western Hospital, Canada) - Pediatric: Provides a useful measure of anesthetic effects in children. (University of Tokyo Hospital, Japan; West Virginia Children's Hospital/West Virginia University, United States; Children's Hospital Philadelphia/University of Pennsylvania, United States) - Intensive Care Unit (ICU): Is suitable to measure the level of sedation in neurosurgical patients in the ICU, providing a quantifiable measure to accompany the subjective Ramsay Scale - a commonly used measure of sedation in the ICU. (Benjamin Franklin Medical Center, Freie Universitat, Germany) - Dental Sedation: Provides an objective analysis of sedation in oral and maxillofacial surgery where it may be difficult to assess the level of sedation. (University of Minnesota, United States) - Outpatient Setting: Facilitates the implementation of a fast-tracking program, resulting in a decrease in Phase I post- anesthesia care unit (PACU) admissions and a reduced length of stay overall, as well as a reduction of nursing hours utilized. (Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, United States) - Cardiopulmonary Bypass: Decreases drug use, shortens time to awakening after surgery, and reduces costs in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass. (Okayama University School of Medicine, Japan; University of Louisville, United States) According to Noah Sandler, D.M.D, M.D., an Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota who is presenting his research findings at the ASA, the BIS monitor may be a useful measure of conscious sedation for oral surgery. "More and more complex procedures are being performed in dental offices, and until now there has been no way to gauge with confidence an individual patient's response to sedatives in this environment," Dr. Sandler said. "The BIS adds to our arsenal a new, objective tool to assess sedation, which increases our confidence that we are providing an appropriate amount of sedation for each patient." About BIS Monitoring Developed in collaboration with leading anesthesiologists, BIS technology uses patented signal processing to provide a noninvasive, direct means of measuring the effects of anesthetics on the brain. BIS monitors use a sensor placed on the forehead to capture the EEG signals, which are translated into a single number ranging from 100 (for wide awake) to zero (indicating the absence of brain electrical activity). To date, more than 350 scientific publications from trials document the efficacy and clinical outcome benefits of BIS monitoring. Since its commercial introduction in October 1996, more than 450 healthcare facilities nationwide have adopted the BIS monitor. BIS technology is available in Aspect's A-2000(TM) BIS monitor and has been licensed for integration into other manufacturers' monitoring systems. About Aspect Medical Systems Aspect Medical Systems, Inc. is a privately held medical technology company that develops noninvasive monitoring systems to improve the cost effectiveness and quality of patient care. The company's systems utilize innovative, patented, digital signal processing software linked to proprietary sensors. For more information, visit the company's web site at http://www.aspectms.com. Bispectral Index and BIS are registered trademarks of Aspect Medical Systems, Inc. A-2000 is a trademark of Aspect Medical Systems, Inc. CONTACT: Lorie Fiber, 310-577-7870, ext. 109, lfiber@fischerpr.com, or Joni Morford, 310-577-7870, ext. 153, jmorford@fischerpr.com, both of Fischer & Partners, Inc., for Aspect Medical Systems, Inc. ots Original Text Service: Aspect Medical Systems, Inc. Internet: http://www.newsaktuell.de Contact: Lorie Fiber, 310-577-7870, ext. 109, lfiber@fischerpr.com, or Joni Morford, 310-577-7870, ext. 153, jmorford@fischerpr.com, both of Fischer & Partners, Inc., for Aspect Medical Systems, Inc. Web site: http://www.aspectms.com Subscribers please note that material bearing the slug "PROTEXT" is not part of CTK's news service and is not to be published under the "CTK" slug. Protext is a commercial service providing distribution of press releases from clients, who are identified in the text of Protext reports and who bear full responsibility for their contents. PROTEXT